Eternity
by Naladia
Summary: This story is now most likely on permanent hiatus. I am now a college student and unfortunately don't have the time to write. I might revisit the story one day though. Feel free to read the chapters that are already up. Post-Eclipse BxE
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All of the characters mention are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The plot belongs to me.

As always, Alice had gone overboard. I stared at the scene in front of me with an incredulous look. She was definitely not going to be forgiven within the next century or so. And yet, that thought gave me comfort. To think that a century would pass and yet I would still be with the love of my existence and my soon to be family.

She still wasn't going to get away with this however. The Cullen house had been transformed into a white, frilly edifice. White cloth was draped between the deck pillars, white roses were displayed everywhere with petals spread across the entire yard, bubbling fountains could be heard from every direction, and the soft cooing of doves echoed throughout the immense yard.

I suppressed a scream and called quietly to my soon to be sister, "Alice..." As soon as the word escaped my lips, she was standing at my side in all of her petit splendor. Her eyes were a deep rich topaz today, and she wore a light summer dress.

"I know Bella! You won't ever forgive me, but believe me, you will thank me for this in fifty years or so. You'll see. And anyways, you know that this will make him happy," she flashed her brilliant smile at me and I just clenched my teeth and forced a smile.

"If you say so Alice... But I am still betting against you," I knew this was an unwise thing to do, but I didn't care. Fortune teller or no, I still wasn't happy right now.

"Let's go get you ready for the big day!" Alice exclaimed with delight. Before I knew what happened, the excitement had gotten the better of her and she was scooping me into her arms and sprinting at inhuman speeds into the house and up the stairs into her room. Not two seconds had passed since I had been standing in front of my truck surveying the scene, and now I was staring at the counter space of Alice's king size bathroom.

"Alice...What am I going to do with you?" I groaned. There were more beauty products sitting on the counter than all the department stores in Washington combined. She ignored my comment and steered me towards the salon style chair with a sink on the back.

"You are going to let me get you ready for your wedding is what you are going to do. Now sit back and relax."

I figured there was no use in fighting her, so I sat down and braced myself for the beautifying torture. I shivered as the cool water hit my scalp and Alice's ice cold fingers worked fruity smelling shampoo through my hair. She felt my shudder and quickly turned the water to a warmer temperature. I closed my eyes and relaxed against the chair, waiting for the inescapable to be over. Soon, I heard the water shut off and I opened my eyes.

To my immense chagrin, Alice and I were no longer alone. Rosalie and Emmett had silently entered the bathroom, Rosalie looking slightly uncomfortable and Emmett looking nonchalant.

"Rosalie, please help me dry her hair. It is too long for me to do it by myself. Emmett, you go stand guard outside my room," Alice said quietly.

"Guard from what?" I exclaimed.

"Oh nothing," Alice remarked airily. Emmett walked out of the room with a big grin on his face. I had a feeling he was going to take his job very seriously.

"Alice, why in the world does Emmett have to go stand guard? It's not like a pack of werewolves is going to come busting down your door," I cringed a little when I said that, but I repressed the feeling and the thoughts that came with it. I had promised myself that I was not going to mourn for that part of my human life anymore.

No sooner had the words escaped my lips before I heard his voice outside. "Emmett let me in. I want to see her," Edward's musical voice drifted to my ears.

"No can do. Alice said no one was allowed in, and that means no one," I heard the humor in Emmett's voice. He was probably itching for a wrestling match or something with Edward to prove that he took his job seriously.

I tried to jump out of the chair and run to my one true love, but Alice's cold hands pushed my shoulders back against the chair and would not budge no matter how much force I used. I might as well have been pushing against a boulder. Alice smiled angelically at me and simply stated, "The groom is not allowed the see the bride before the ceremony Bella. Now hold still and don't put up a fuss."

I stopped struggling knowing that it was a futile effort to try to get away from her. I leaned back and groaned as Alice pulled two intimidating hairdryers from seemingly nowhere. She handed on to Rosalie who looked still slightly uncomfortable.

I gave her a warm smile and stated, "Don't worry Rosalie, I won't hold any grudge against you for this beauty torture. All that blame goes to Alice for sure."

She seemed to relax after my reassuring comment, "Well okay. I will do your hair up just like I had mine for prom two years ago. You are going to be the most beautiful thing on the west coast today."

"Ha, ha. That is going to be hard to do with the two of you standing next to me, but I will take your word for it," I remarked. Alice shot me a look but decided against arguing with me.

I let the two of them work through my hair and tried not to think too much about what I was about to do. I was exactly a month and 3 days away from my from my nineteenth birthday and about to be a married woman. I could still see the look on my mother's face when I had told her the news. I hadn't been able to tell her over the phone, so Edward had dragged me to Florida to give the news in person. She had looked dejected when I had first broken the news to her, but then, she saw the way that me and Edward looked at each-other and she had understood. She knew that it was love of the deepest kind and had given her blessing. It meant the world to me to know that my mother would support me. It was the last thing I could ask of her before I disappeared from her life forever.

My father had been a different story. He had gone ballistic on Edward, calling him a brainwasher and accusing him of mistreating me. Edward and I had simply stood by while he ranted. The words had stung but I was determined to not let my father's accusations affect me. Edward's supporting arms had been the only things keeping me from going to pieces. Eventually my father had yelled himself hoarse and stomped out of the house. He had returned a few hours later with a more composed face and had apologized to Edward. He had thought long and hard about it and realized that Edward would be suitable for his daughter despite the prejudices he held towards my true love.

And here I sat, about to tie the knot and say goodbye to being human forever. Yet, I had accepted that fact and I was ready to begin my new life. I was ready to begin eternity with the reason for my existence, Edward.

The gentle tugging of my hair brought me back to the present. I realized that Rosalie was twisting my hair into intricate tendrils atop my head and Alice was pinning them into place. I had been so lost in thought that I didn't realize how much work had been done to my normally drab hair. I looked in the mirror and my auburn hair now had a brilliant sheen to it and it looked incredibly soft. I reached up to touch one of the twists but Alice lightly slapped my hand away. "No ruining all this hard work!" she exclaimed. I grinned at her and rolled my eyes.

Before too long, my hair was done and the makeup began. Thankfully, Rosalie convinced Alice to keep neutral tones to make the makeup look more natural. I flashed her a thankful smile and she gave me a tentative smile in return. I supposed that Rosalie had finally accepted my decision and was trying her hardest to make me feel welcome. I could see that my decision still irked her. However I understood her views and I would wait however long she needed to completely warm up to me.

After what seemed like forever, Alice was sufficiently satisfied with my appearance. She turned me around to face the floor length mirror, and I stared at the stranger in the mirror. The girl in the mirror tentatively moved her hand up to her face and touched her cheek. Could this really be me? Alice came to stand next the stranger and smiled her beautiful grin. I looked to my right and sure enough she was standing next to me. Yes. That girl was me. For once I felt comfortable standing next my immortal friend.

I walked into Alice's bedroom and examined the dress hanging from her closet door frame. It was a masterpiece straight from a 1918 vision. It would have been exactly what I would have worn had I met Edward in his time. The delicate lace and flowing silk created the most fitting piece I could have imagined. With the help of my soon-to-be sisters, I slipped into the delicate dress. Once again I regarded my reflection in the mirror and was taken aback. For once in my life, I felt beautiful enough to deserve Edward.

Alice continued to smile at me and even Rosalie looked slightly surprised at my beauty. "Bella, you look absolutely stunning," she breathed.

I blushed a deep crimson and beamed at her. "Thank you Rosalie. That means a lot coming from you," I muttered. I knew she heard me clear as a bell though and she seemed at ease for one of the first times since I had met her.

I turned around and said with resignation, "Okay, let's get this over with."


	2. Chapter 2

The backyard was even worse than the front. It looked like it was straight out of the cover of one of those dream wedding magazines. And it was way over the top. I sucked in a breath and calmed my mind. It would be all over soon. I just had to live through the next hour or so.

Alice led me to the path that would bring me to the alter. My father was waiting for me at the entrance. He took one look at me and he started to cry.

"Ah dad, please don't cry!" I murmured.

"Bells, you are the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. I can't believe that I am already walking my baby down the aisle." He dabbed at his eyes and composed his face. I realized how hard this was going to be for him. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him as tight as I could.

"Alright, let's get this on with. Don't want to keep my future son-in-law waiting," he seemed to grimace a bit at this statement, but he straightened up and held out his arm for me. I took his arm, and he steered me towards the entrance to the ceremony. I heard music begin and the sound of people standing up. We rounded the corner and I fully saw the mass of people waiting for me. I only gazed at the crowd for a second before my eyes found him.

Edward was standing at the altar looking absolutely stunning. Even with the overcast weather, he looked straight out of greek mythology. He looked amazing in a tux, as if he could appear any more perfect.

He turned and saw me walking towards him on my father's arm, and his jaw seemed to drop the slightest bit. I heard a faint giggle and I couldn't doubt that it came from Alice. I tore my eyes away from Edward for a moment to see Alice standing to the side of the altar in her bridesmaid dress with Rosalie, Angela, and Jessica standing next to her in their gorgeous bridesmaid dresses. I saw Emmett, Jasper, and Mike standing on the other side of Edward, all in stunning tuxes. Mike looked slightly uncomfortable but that was probably due to the proximity of so many vampires that he was unaware of.

As I walked slowly down the aisle, I could see the faces of my mother and Phil, Carlisle and Esme, and more of my friends from school. At least Alice had kept the invitation list short.

Everyone beamed at me as I walked by and I forced the most sincere smile I could imagine on my face. I focused on not tripping as I walked, and thankfully I eventually made it to the altar in one piece. My father gave me a light kiss on the cheek and stole back to his seat next to my mother.

I turned around and melted a bit under his fierce topaz gaze. I could see the same emotion that had burned in his eyes when I had first tried on his ring now coming to a head. It warmed me from the toes to my entire being to see him so happy and in love with me. He took my hand in his cool, comforting grasp and smiled my favorite crooked smile.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, Bella. You are the vision of beauty," he spoke quietly in my ear. It made me feel extremely warm inside to hear him say such things to me. For once, I was actually grateful for Alice's insistence on preparing me for the big day.

"I love you more than it is even possible. You are the reason I exist and the reason that I shall forever be yours," I murmured to him.

We then turned to the minister and he began to recite the vows. I barely heard any of his speech, I was too lost in Edward's gaze.

Suddenly I was brought back to reality as Edward stated, "I do."

The minister then turned his gaze on me. "Do you Isabella Swan take Edward Cullen to be your husband – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." The words were out of my mouth before I could think twice, but I did not regret them. I looked into Edward's gaze and saw his immense delight. He had waited over a hundred years for this moment and I was delighted that I could finally give it to him.

The minister then motioned for us to exchange our rings. I pulled his gold band out of my pocket which I had spent my entire college savings on. Engraved on the inside it stated "Edward and Bella Forever, Until the End of Time." I slipped it onto the third finger on his left hand and he seemed to glow.

He then took my left hand into his grasp and once again slipped his mother's wedding ring onto my third finger. He stared at the ring for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Then he broke his gaze and looked at the minister.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," the minister declared.

And then, his cool marble lips were pressed against mine and my heart began to palpitate. My lips worked against his and we were lost in our kiss. After a moment, Edward broke away and I had to refrain from gasping in front of all these people. He grinned at me and took my hand. "And now it is truly and completely official," he murmured. I grinned up at him threw my arms around his neck.

"I'm ready to start my new life with you," I stated into his shoulder. He chuckled at me.

"First we have to deal with the reception love, and then we can start." He smiled at me and then proceeded to scoop me into his arms and carry me down the aisle. I did not even notice the other faces watching us. I only had eyes for my one true love.


	3. Chapter 3

fter the reception, Edward and I left for our "honeymoon." Everyone besides the Cullens and I knew that we were not actually leaving for the remote Caribbean. In fact, we weren't even going to be leaving Forks for at least 3 days. However, we loaded all of our luggage into the trunk of the Vanquish and I said my last farewells to my mother and father and friends. They were unaware of the fact that this was the last time I would see them, and I kept that fact hidden. I hugged my parents fiercely and told them that I would always love them no matter what. They were both crying and I had to get into the car before I could start sobbing.

We were now driving down the road at Edward's typical insane speed. I had learned to accept that he was not going to crash the car and I relaxed in my seat. I had an idea of where we were going but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to ruin his fun.

We stopped when the road ended and the path began. Edward pulled his car to the side and was holding the door open for me in the same instant that he had shut off the motor. He scooped me up into his arms and then he was running. There was an excited edge to his run, not the typical easy pace he usually kept.

Within seconds we had reached our meadow. The sun was beginning to work its way through the clouds and bathe the meadow in sunlight. Edward's skin sparkled with a million diamonds and my breath caught in my throat. No matter how many times I witnessed it, he continued to take my breath away.

He laid me gently on the ground and lowered himself to lay on my side. He gazed in my eyes with such an intense love that it was impossible to break away. "You have fulfilled your side of the deal Bella. Now its time for me to fulfill mine." And then his mouth was on mine.

He kissed me greedily, pressing himself against me with as much force as my human body could take. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed his face against mine. Before I knew what had happened, he had rolled on top of me and was kissing me still more fiercely. My breathing became ragged and he moved his lips to kiss my neck and collarbone. He deftly unbuttoned my blouse and I shrugged my arms out of the cloth. He broke the kiss for a moment to pull his own shirt over his head. I stared at his bare chest, barely believing that this god wanted me like this.

He resumed his greedy kissing on my body and slowly slid the rest of my clothes off. Edward removed the rest of his without breaking the kiss and hovered over me. There was a hesitant look in his eyes and I knew what he was thinking. "I trust you. I know that you will not hurt me," I whispered to him.

He seemed to take slight comfort from that statement and a look of deep concentration came over his face. "I promise that I will never hurt you again," he quietly said as he lowered his body against mine.

I would never forget that afternoon that had fulfilled my last wanted human experience. We had laid in the grass for a long time afterwards kissing and talking. It had hurt slightly, but not with the kind of pain that would kill me. Edward was infinitely gentle and he had fulfilled his promise not to harm me. He had also fulfilled my demand and I was ready to become his partner for eternity.

We had shrugged back into our clothes and run gracefully back to the car. We now stood outside the Cullen house in the twilight of the evening. He looked at me with hesitant eyes but I simply glowed back at him. "I'm ready," I plainly stated.

He nodded his head the slightest bit and led me through the open front door. The house was empty it seemed, but Edward called to his adoptive father. "Carlisle," he called in a conversational tone.

Suddenly the beautiful doctor was standing next to me. "Hello Bella. Welcome home," he grinned at me. Those words comforted me beyond reason and I relaxed in Edward's hold.

"She's ready Carlisle," Edward stated. Carlisle simply nodded and left the room for a second. He returned carrying his doctor's bag. I panicked at the sight of it, wondering why Carlisle would need his equipment.

Edward felt my body tense. "Don't worry Bella. Carlisle is just going to give you some morphine so you don't have to feel as much pain." I simply nodded and allowed myself to be led upstairs to Edward's room. He steered me over to the bed where I laid down on my back. I looked up at him with reassuring eyes as I felt a sudden pinch in my arm. Before long, a numbness began to spread through my body.

Edward looked down at me with doubt but I just smiled up at him. "This is what I want. I want to spend the rest of time with you and no one else," I said through groggy lips.

He simply nodded and lowered his lips to my neck. I felt his hesitation and then there was a strong pressure on my neck. Then the pressure was gone after a moment and I closed my eyes as that pressure resurfaced on both my wrists and my ankles. I heard him pull away, gasping for air. And it was then that I knew that he had not killed me and I would soon be a vampire with him.

Suddenly the fire started. It felt like someone was burning me alive over hot coals. I screamed with such pain that I did not think I could bear it. My eyes flew open and I found his horrified gaze. "No, no, no! I promised I would never hurt you again! What have I done?!" He began to shake his head back in forth in fury and I couldn't understand why my angel was so upset. This is what I had wanted and he had given it to me.

"Edward, please don't. This is what I wanted. Now please just stay with me," I whispered through strained lips. It hurt to even talk.

"I don't think I will be able to give her any more morphine Edward. This is going to have to be how it is. She is strong. She will be fine. Just stay by her side and comfort her." I heard Carlisle exit the room after that statement. Edward laid down next to me and pulled my shuddering body into his arms.

"I love you Bella. I am so sorry for hurting you. The pain will all be over soon," he murmured into my hair.

I simply cringed against his chest and waited for it all to be over.


	4. Chapter 4

Sometime during the next few hours, or was it days, I was unsure, each of the Cullens came to visit me. They each murmured words of comfort and reassurance in my ears, telling me to be strong and that the pain would be over soon. I think even Rosalie spent a good deal of time sitting by my side holding my hand. Jasper was a pretty constant presence. He continually used his power to calm my mind and subdue the pain. Every time that he was forced to leave the pain would multiply in force.

Towards the middle of the second day, a pain even greater than all of the others combined began to throb in my chest. I screamed with such great force that Edward looked shocked and tried without success to calm me. Suddenly all of the Cullens were present. Esme was stroking my hair, Alice was holding my hand, and Jasper was standing there with a look of deep concentration. Rosalie and Emmett stood by the foot of the bed with comforting looks.

"The poison has reached your heart, Bella. The transformation is almost complete," I heard Carlisle say. I had not realized that he was standing by my side. Edward continued to clutch me to his chest. The pain subsided somewhat and I knew that I had Jasper to thank for that.

"Her eyes..." Alice gasped. I knew what she meant by that statement. My eyes were most likely a deep ruby red due to the amount of human blood in my system.

Everyone was silent as my convulsions began to slow and my breathing became less ragged. Edward loosened his grip on my body and I felt a new sensation burning throughout my entire being. It was an insatiable thirst.

I slowly opened my eyes and found Edward's worried gaze. He sucked in a breath and looked at me with intense concentration. I looked around the room at the surprised eyes of my family. Each one of them looked slightly confused.

The pain had entirely faded from my system and I felt immensely strong. "What's wrong with everyone?" I demanded.

Carlisle was the first one to speak. "First of all, you are amazingly gorgeous Bella. Second of all, you have a power."

I looked at him with great confusion. What was he talking about? I hadn't done anything.

"It's so quiet," murmured Edward in a barely audible tone. However, I heard him clear as day. I did not understand what he meant and he caught my bewildered expression.

"Bella, you have quieted the voices in my head. I cannot hear the thoughts of the people around me right now. I am only a prisoner to my own thoughts right now," he stated. I was afraid that he would be mad about this but instead he crushed me to his chest and whispered in my ear, "Thank you."

I pulled away and looked at Alice. She looked extremely bewildered and distraught. I knew that I had taken her visions away from her and she was upset about that. "Don't worry Alice. I will figure out how to control this. It is all very new to me. You can leave if you are that uncomfortable," I reassured her.

However, she gave me an incredulous look. "And miss the fun of your seeing your new body? My visions can wait. I want to see the look on your face!"

I got up from the bed and approached the glass window that made up the southern wall of the room. It was night time and with the reflection of the light in the room it had become an immense mirror. I walked gracefully and lightly over, something that had previously been impossible words to describe my movement. l stared at the reflection for a long time, unable to comprehend the reality that the beautiful goddess looking back at me was indeed me.

I turned around and flew with speeds that I did not know were possible into Edward's arms. For the first time ever I knocked him over against the bed. He seemed happily surprised and held me against him.

"Thank you for this," I muttered. He stroked my hair and we stared into each other's eyes.

A few hours passed, and Edward and I were still laying on the gold coverlet of the king size bed staring into each other's eyes. I knew that my eyes were no longer the rich chocolate color that they had been, and that they had been replaced by a deep crimson. This did not seem to affect Edward in the least however. He had explained to me that the coloring was normal and that it would turn into the golden topaz of his eyes when I began my "vegetarian" diet. He also explained that I would not be able to be within a few miles of humans for the next couple weeks.

"Your thirst is too strong love. If you got even the faintest whiff of a human, that person would be dead in the time that it took you to run to them," he explained. That thought made me cringe and I vowed to stay away from any mortal human for however long it took.

Perked up by the thought of running, I wanted to test some of my new abilities. "Speaking of running, let's see who the faster one is now!" I taunted him. He grinned wickedly at me and scooped me up into his arms.

"You don't need to carry me anymore you know," I complained.

"Relax love. I just don't want you getting a taste for the speed until you can experience it to its full extent," he grinned down at me. I just grumbled and allowed myself to be carried down the stairs.

To my immense surprise, Emmett waited for us at the bottom of the steps. "Did I hear that Bella was going to be trying out her new skills? I want to see this myself!" he exclaimed. I saw Edward flash him a thankful look and I was confused. Why should Emmett have to come with us? Then I looked at Emmett's immense size and strength and I understood. He would be the only one who would have a chance of holding me back if I lost control. My newborn strength was too great for even my true love to restrain me. Coupled with Edward, they would make sure that I wouldn't do anything harmful.

I put on a pouty face and Edward realized that I understood. "It's for your own safety Bella. Please be a good sport for me." I stuck my tongue out at him in a childish jester but didn't object. He took that for acceptance and led me out the door with Emmett following.

Once outside the house, my senses were blasted with a wave of new smells, sounds, and sights. I could hear the sound of fish swimming in the nearby river, a bird chirping two miles away, and the impossibly light footsteps of Edward next to me. I smelled the fresh dew on the trees, the pollen of the nearby flowers, and the sweet smell of Edward's skin, despite the fact that he stood five feet away from me. I could get used to being able to constantly smell him and the thought made me smile.

All of a sudden, a different smell caught my attention. It was a sweet, juicy smell, one that was irresistible. In that same instant, Edward tried to wrap his arms around my waste to hold me back, but I was no longer there. I was sprinting, faster than I had ever imagined through the woods. I did not hit any trees and I kept that smell in my thoughts as I ran. So wonderful, so delectable, I needed to drink all of the glory of that smell!

I heard him calling behind me but I ignored it. My instincts were too strong, too in control right now. Common reasoning had ceased to exist for me. All that mattered was quenching my thirst.

I came into a clearing and stopped. There stood a house with white trim and a chipping paint job. I could smell a human working in the garden on the other side of the house. I lowered into a crouch, preparing to spring. Suddenly, an immense force knocked into me. I was dazed for a half a second before I realized what had happened. Emmett had appeared from seemingly no where and had thrown me back. Arms ensnared my waist and refused to let go. I struggled against Edward's grasp, wanting nothing more than to get at that human's blood. I was winning the fight against him and had almost broken free.

Suddenly large hands encircled my wrists in iron restraints and refused to let go. Emmett held my wrists up in the air and pulled me off the ground to hang in front of him.

And then I heard Edward whisper in my ear, "Bella, stop breathing. Right now."

I cut off the flow of air to my lungs, and the thirst became somewhat manageable. My instincts began to subside and I started to think clearly once more. I looked at his furious face and flinched back from the expression. I had no air to speak but I knew why he was so angry.

"Bella, you are going to have to learn some self-restraint, and it is going to have to start now. If Emmett wasn't here, you would have just drunk the blood of Mrs. Newton and killed her," he spit through gritted teeth. My eyes opened in shock and if I could, I would have started to cry.

He seemed to compose himself a bit and tried to soothe me. "I'm sorry love. I did not mean to lose my temper with you."

I just nodded slightly at him and looked away. I did not dare breathe again in fear that I would become that monster again. I knew what I would do. I would just never breathe again. Problem solved, no monster.

"Emmett you can put her down now I think. She seems to be in enough control for now," he said quietly. Emmett lowered me to the ground but didn't release my wrists. Edward scooped me into his arms and only then did my immense brother release his hold. And then we were running through the trees back to the white mansion. Edward continually glanced at my face as we ran but I refused to meet his gaze.

As the depression sank in, I did not know if I could live with myself again. Was it always going to be like this where I wanted to drink the blood of my friend's mother? What would happen if I got too close to Charlie? I cringed at the thought.

"Antarctica, I promise," Edward whispered in my ear. I tried to smile a little at him but I just couldn't force it onto my face. We reached the house and he ran me up into his room.

He put me down and I went over to the bed and curled up into a ball. I felt his gentle hands trying to comfort me but I ignored them. I let the depression continue to spread and blocked out all words and senses. I still hadn't begun to breathe again and my chest was starting to ache slightly.

I laid there for what seemed like an eternity. Then cool hands were prying me from my huddled form and forcing me to straighten out. I looked up into the eyes of Carlisle bent over me. "Bella, you can breathe dear. We won't let anything happen," he calmly stated. I looked up and realized that my entire family was standing in the room. However I just shook my head and buried my face in the pillow.

I felt a small cool hand on my shoulder and Alice was whispering in my ear, "Bella, I saw you killing Mrs. Newton. But you didn't. You changed your future. You are not always going to be a monster, I can see that, more clearly than anyone else. And I am not lying to you. You are my sister now and I will always tell you the truth." I looked up from the pillow and gazed into her eyes. There was no doubt in her fierce gaze and no hint of a lie.

I slowly sucked in a breath of air and looked around with chagrin. Edward came over to sit next to me and I buried my face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Edward. You must hate me now. I wouldn't blame you if you did," I mumbled into his chest.

I felt his icy lips kiss my hair and he clearly stated, "You are ridiculous Bella! How could I hate you? I knew that you were going to have some trouble at the beginning but that's okay. I promise I will keep you out of trouble. I'm sorry that I lost my temper back at the house. You are still the love of my being and nothing will change that."


	5. Chapter 5

I looked around the room into the understanding eyes of my family. They had all been through this same pain and yet they were all completely under control now. Even Jasper was doing well. I sighed and stated, "No one is going to win Emmett and Jasper's bet. Cause I won't slip at all." I grinned at Edward and he seemed to relax somewhat. His eyes were starting to fade to black and I realized that I was not the only thirsty one.

"Okay, lets try this again, only let's do it the vegetarian way," I forced a smile onto my face. He simply chuckled at me.

"Alright, we are going to drive though so you don't catch any smells on the way," Edward stated. I was fine with this condition. I was also fine with the fact that Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett would be joining us.

We walked down to the garage and I immediately realized that something was off. Wedged between Alice's Porsche and Rosalie's BMW was a shiny red Lexus. I read the letters LF-A Roadster on the back of the car. I took one look at Edward and saw his excited look.

"What the hell is that?" I shouted.

"That is your new car," he calmly stated. "It's time to test out your new driving abilities!"

I gawked at him but I could see that he was completely serious. I had not driven anything faster than my ancient truck in a long time and that was fast enough for me. I took a deep breath and walked over to the driver side door. I opened the door and sank into the seat. Edward was sitting next to me absolutely beaming. "Told you I would get you into a fast car."

I heard the doors of Alice's Porsche and Rosalie's BMW slam and I saw that they were both starting their cars. I turned the key in the ignition of the Lexus and the car purred to life. I gave one frantic look at Edward and then turned my eyes forward. "Don't blame me if I crash my pretty new car," I warned him.

"Don't worry, you won't crash," he soothed me. I pulled the car out of the garage and began winding my way down the driveway. I heard a light honk behind me but chose to ignore it. If Alice wanted to go faster, she could go around me.

It was surprisingly easy to navigate my way through the twists and turns of the of the long drive. As soon as I hit the main road, Edward instructed me to go south, away from Forks and away from civilization.

"You can go a little faster you know love," Edward said with a taunting tone. I saw that a bright yellow 911 Turbo was tailing me by mere inches. I sighed and pressed down slightly on the gas petal.

I had clearly underestimated the power of this car, because as soon as my foot applied the pressure, we were flying along the road. The speedometer continued to climb and soon leveled out at 125 miles an hour. I felt a rush of adrenaline and felt no need to slow the car down. I was also completely in control and there was no risk of flying off the road.

I continued to apply pressure to the gas and eventually the canary Porsche disappeared from my rearview mirror. I looked down and saw that I was going 180 miles an hour. I looked with a panicked expression at Edward but the pure delight on his face was contagious.

"Told you it is better to drive fast," he chuckled.

"Okay, point proven, but I think you can drive this car from now on. I'll take the slower Volvo," I retorted. I slowly released the pressure on the gas and the surrounding countryside began to have definition once more instead of the speeding blur of green that it had been moments ago.

"But I have my Vanquish. You need a fast car of your own love," he had a wicked glint in his eyes and I could see how insanely happy he was to have bought me a present, as over-the-top as it was.

I easily navigated the roads, not needing Edward to tell me directions, instinctively knowing where I was going. I decided it was useless to try and convince him that I would not have much use for the car. I had come to learn that he was too much of an car fanatic to try to argue with him about the impracticalities of such fast machines.

I slowed the Lexus and steered the roadster into a deserted parking lot by the beach. I looked around for Alice's Porcshe and Rosalie's BMW, but my car was alone in the parking lot. I looked over at Edward and I could tell that he was trying to suppress his laughter.

"What is so funny?!" I demanded.

"Love, you just blew Alice out of the water. She should be arriving momentarily and I'm sure she will be a slight bit jealous of your car," he continued to shake his head in laughter.

Suddenly, a canary blur sped into the parking lot, closely followed by a deep red convertible. Both slid to a stop on either side of my red prize. I realized that I was actually starting to take a strong liking to my new car.

"That's it! No more new cars for Bella! I just got left in the dust by her!" Alice was absolutely fuming. I saw my other siblings stepping out of their respective cars and looking at me with a sense of awe. Rosalie let out a small giggle and Alice shot her a dark look. I had never realized that Alice had such a competitive nature when it came to cars. Here I was thinking that only Edward and Rosalie were the car maniacs.

"Don't worry Bella. I'll beat you next time. I was just letting you win," she tried to compose herself and gave me a sly smile. I grinned back at her, starting to feel a slightly competitive edge surfacing.

"We'll see Alice," I grinned at her with the sweetest smile I could muster. She simply muttered under her breath, too low for even my enhanced hearing to comprehend.

I turned back to Edward who had been quiet throughout the entire exchange. He looked like he was deeply concentrating. I went over and wrapped my arms around his rigid body, lacing my now cool fingers up his shirt. He shivered slightly and was brought back to the present. He pressed his lips to my hair and murmured, "I'm sorry dear. I was just making sure that I could not hear any humans nearby."

I suppressed the shudder that threatened to rock my frame and gritted my teeth. I heard Alice let out a small gasp behind me and I looked over at her. She had the same bewildered expression on her face as when she had first encountered my new being. Edward simply chuckled in my hair "She is rather put off that she keeps getting her visions stolen from her. It is quite comical to watch."

I ground my teeth together and spat, "Well if I knew how to control this, then we wouldn't be having this problem!"

"Relax my love. I think that it has something to do with your emotions. Until we can be more positive, it seems that strong emotions are triggering a defensive mechanism in your brain and shutting off the power of those around you. If you simply relax and put your body into a state of tranquility, the defensiveness might subside."

I took a deep breath and allowed myself to be encircled by Edward's arms. I molded against his chest and breathed in his scent. He began to hum my lullaby softly in my ear and my body began to relax. I closed my eyes and focused on his musical voice. I heard him give a slight sigh, "Ah, the voices are back."

I was glad that we now had a way to subdue my power and I was determined to keep my emotions in check. That is unless Alice really annoyed me which she was prone to do.

Edward released me from his arms and I looked around for my siblings. Surprisingly, they were all gone. "Don't worry Bella, they are close by in case we run into any trouble," Edward reassured quietly. I knew exactly what kind of trouble he was talking about but I decided to ignore the image of Mrs. Newton that suddenly swam into my vision.

I shook my head silently to try and erase the scene from my head. I could see her limp lifeless corpse hanging from my hands. And there was Mike coming down the front steps to talk to his mother only to find her frozen, cold, and drained of blood. My body doubled over with the impact of the vision and I began to dry heave. Edward's cool calming hands were rubbing my back and he was whispering words of comfort in my ears. Eventually the spasms subsided and I straightened up.

"I'm so sorry... This is just all so very new to me," I whispered through tight lips. He crushed me against his chest and began to hum again.

"Bella, you have every excuse to not be totally in control. You are only a day old to this new life. You will gain your self-control and you will be yourself again. Just give it time."

I looked up into his worried eyes and gave him a nod reenforced by a small smile. "Okay, lets go find some vegetarian meals then," I said softly. He lightly brushed his lips against mine and led me into the trees.


	6. Chapter 6

I waited in perfect silence while I allowed my body to become attuned to my surrounding environment. I knew that my true love was not far from where I stood, but he kept perfectly still to allow me to concentrate.

I listened for every sound of the forest. I smelled every change in the slight breeze. I allowed my mind to wander, to hear the sound of the pulsating hearts of the nearby creatures.

At first, I felt the hundreds of tiny heartbeats of song birds flitting overhead and the noise drove me mad. However Edward had whispered in my ear to concentrate and search for the stronger hearts, for the larger prey.

A swift breeze brought a new scent to my nose. It was the smell of blood, somewhat subdued, but igniting my thirst all the same. I allowed my rational thinking to detach itself from my body and allowed the instincts to gain control. A low growl rumbled from deep in my chest, and I slipped into a crouch.

I knew that the grizzly bear was half a mile from where I stood, due north of my position. I felt my mouth begin to water and I realized that venom was starting to ooze from my glands. I held on to my last bit of self-control as I looked at Edward once more and he gave an approving nod. With that gesture, I released my remaining humanity and became a purely instinctual being.

My crouch deepened and I tensed for the attack. I heard the grizzly padding through the forest and waited as he stopped to rub against a tree. In that moment I was upon the bear. I wrapped my arms around the bears neck and snapped it with one deft movement. In the next second, I had sunk my teeth in the exposed skin of the dead bear's neck. And then, I began to drink.

The warm liquid flooded into my mouth and down my throat. It was such an invigorating emotion, to be sucking the life from an animal and converting it to sustain my own survival. I drank and drank from the bear's neck, relishing in the taste. I had never imagined something so sweet, so fulfilling!

Once the bear was completely drained of the red fluid, I pulled back from the neck and wiped my mouth with my hand. In my human life, the sight of the blood on my hand would have caused me to faint. Now however, it just ignited my thirst even more. I bent my lips to my hand and sucked the remaining warm liquid from my skin. Once, my hands were clean, I felt a cool touch on my shoulder.

I looked up and saw Edward's deep golden eyes staring into my own. With that loving look I came back to myself. I let the instincts subside and became Bella once more. I straightened up and smoothed my unstained blouse.

"How did I do?" I asked hesitantly towards my love. He continued to stare at me with an intense look. I was afraid that I had done something wrong and I shrunk back a bit.

He sensed my movement and came to wrap his arms around my waist. "You were amazing Bella. Simply stunning. I had forgotten insanely powerful a newborn was and your strength is even greater than most. And to take on a grizzly bear for your first kill! Most people go for a deer or a fox or something. Emmett is going to be disappointed that he missed his favorite meal," he smirked. He was praising me! I was thrilled and a sense of great excitement filled my being.

I heard a slight rustle behind us and I spun around to see Emmett coming into the clearing. "Ah Bella! You took my bear! Guess I was too far away to get there before you," Emmett pouted.

Edward burst out laughing and I joined in the chuckling. Emmett just continued to look disgruntled and stalked off into the forest murmuring under his breath. Edward just shook his head with laughter and watched his brother go.

"Don't worry about him Bella, he just doesn't like missing out on a good grizzly. I'm sure he will find another one. Now the fun part is over. Time to dispose of the evidence." With that statement, Edward grabbed a nearby oak tree by the base and wrenched his arms upwards. With a sickening crack, the tree was lifted the roots into the air. Balancing the immense tree in one hand, Edward grabbed the bear by the scruff of the neck and threw it into the hole where the tree had just resided. He then proceeded to stick the tree back in the hole and fixing it in its original spot. It looked like the whole scene had never happened with the exception of the trace amounts of dried blood on the nearby ferns. No matter. Those would be washed away with the next rainfall.

I looked mildly shocked as I witnessed this whole event. My bloody evidence was gone and Edward had just held an 80-year-old tree in one hand and planted it back in the earth. He smiled his crooked smile at me and came over to cradle my chin in his hand. "And that is how you get rid of the body," he smirked. I laughed at him and stood on my toes to reach his lips. He kissed me softly for a moment before breaking away.

"You have no idea how wonderful it is to be able to kiss you and not have to worry about your safety the whole time," Edward mused. And then he reached down and kissed me with such passion, such earnest that I was momentarily stunned. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled my fingers in his hair, and kissed him back with equal enthusiasm. I felt his hands slide around my waste and slip under the cloth of my shirt to trace along my back.

Suddenly I was falling backwards and landing on a soft bed of ferns. Edward's lips never left my mouth and he continued to explore my body with his hands. I felt his fingers slide from my shoulders to my waist and down to my hips. I shivered slightly with the feeling and he momentarily looked up into my eyes. They burned with such passion and emotion that I could not break the gaze. Slowly he brought his hands up to my face and began to trace the patterns of my expression. His fingers moved from my temple down my nose to run along my jaw-line.

I heard a small cough and I was forced to break the moment. I looked up and saw Alice and Jasper standing there with smirks on their face. "It's not nice to spy on people Alice," Edward said with a teasing tone. "Unless you want me in your head next time you and Jasper are alone." He smirked at them and turned his loving gaze back to me.

"I definitely like being less breakable. It has its perks," I said while trying to calm my breathing. The moment of passion had left me gasping for breath. I could undoubtedly get used to this.

Edward slowly stood up and offered me his hand. I took it and he yanked me up into his arms. I molded against his chest and breathed his sweet scent in. He had his face in my hair and seemed to be doing the same. We stood there for a few moments and finally loosened the hold on each other.

"Okay you two, you can get a room when we are finished hunting but for now, I am stealing Bella while you can concentrate long enough to hunt with Jasper, Edward," Alice stated matter-of-factly. I felt Edward tense slightly next to me, and I groaned at the prospect of being away from my love for any period of time, no matter the length. However, I knew that he needed to hunt and wouldn't be able to concentrate while he was still drinking in the glory of my new form.

"And don't worry, I don't see us running into any trouble Edward so she will be safe with me." Edward's tensed body relaxed somewhat and he seemed to accept the logic. He kissed me softly on the forehead and took a deep breath of my hair. Alice then proceeded to take my hand and try to drag me away. She was unsuccessful, and it took me a second to realize that she was trying to move me. I guess I really was stronger than everyone right now.

I took one last look at my true love and sprinted into the trees, following my sister. We ran a short while before emerging into the parking lot where our cars sat. I looked at Alice with a confused expression.

She grinned at me, "I told you I let you win last time. Now I'm going to prove it." She skipped lightly over to her canary yellow Porsche and slid into the front seat. I fingered my key in my pocket and had a moment of hesitation. What if I lost control of my car and Edward wasn't there to save me? What if I crashed my beautiful present? Seeming to read my mind, Alice rolled down her window and shouted to me, "You won't crash! Now let's go! First one back to the house wins!"

I gave in and walked over to my Lexus. I started the engine and pulled the car out to face the road. Alice pulled behind me and gave a light tap of her horn. Well if she wanted to give me the lead, her loss. I pressed my foot down on the gas with no hesitation this time. I was suddenly flying and everything was passing in a blurred mix of greens. I looked in my rearview mirror and to my immense surprise, Alice was right on my tail.

I professionally maneuvered the turns, always keeping an eye on the bright yellow 911 Turbo on my tail. Suddenly we came to a straight stretch of road and the Porsche was no longer behind me. It was right next to me and quickly gaining speed. I looked over and Alice smiled at me and gave me a little wave. I looked down at the speedometer which read 170. Stupid Turbo part of her car. I ground my teeth together. I had no idea what the max speed of my car was but I didn't want to push it too hard. Last thing I need was to blow the engine.

I looked up and realized that I was now the one tailing Alice. I also noticed that the blurred scenery was becoming more recognizable and I knew that we must be almost home. Alice suddenly slammed on her brakes and skidded the car to take a right into the Cullen's driveway. I did the same and I was impressed with the ease in which I performed the move.

We raced through the twists and turns of the driveway and finally skidded to a stop in front of the massive white house. Alice stepped out of the car with a huge grin on her face. "Oh man, I have never opened my car up like that before! It was absolutely amazing!" She was so giddy with excitement and I couldn't help breaking into a huge grin myself. "Told you I would win!"

"Well you probably saw a vision of you winning so you knew what to do," I jabbed at her with a playful grin on my face. I didn't mind losing to Alice when it made her so ecstatic. Suddenly a thought hit me. "Um Alice, how are Jasper and Edward going to get home now?"

"Well its not that far of a run, but they can all fit in Rosalie's car. She has four seats," she remarked. I sighed. That meant even longer that I was going to be away from Edward. "Now come on! We are going inside and I am going to do your hair!"

I groaned very audibly. "Alice..." I whined. She didn't listen however and proceeded to take my arm and pull me into the house. I knew that I had an hour of hair do creations in my future. I sighed and relented, allowing myself to be dragged up into Alice's room.


	7. the antichapter

continue as you were...


	8. Chapter 7

**Ta-da! This is what happens when I'm procrastinating and not studying for exams! Haha enjoy! The plot thickens in this chapter!**

Alice had just finished straightening my hair when I heard the crunch of gravel from the outside. She put the straightener down and joined me as we raced down the stairs and out to the garage. Edward was barely out of the car before I flew into his arms. He looked surprisingly stunned and I took advantage of the moment to kiss him lightly on the lips. I heard the other car doors slam and heard my other siblings getting out of the car.

"Whatever did I do to deserve you?" he questioned with a grin. Abruptly his head jerked around to stare at Alice. Her eyes were blank and her body rigid in an all too familiar stance. Oh no, I thought. What now?

I felt Edward become very stiff in my embrace and I gazed up into his horrified eyes. I knew that he was seeing the vision through Alice's thoughts. I waited in anxious silence while Alice slowly returned to herself and Edward buried his head in his hands. I couldn't take the suspense anymore.

"What the hell just happened?" I tried to keep my voice calm but it came more as a shriek.

Alice started to shake her head back and forth and I strode over and grabbed her thin shoulders in my arms. She looked up into my eyes with a great deal of pain. "Bella...Th-They are c-co-coming," she managed to stammer out.

"Who?!" I wished for once that someone would give me a straight answer. Alice just sagged in my arms and looked at the ground. Jasper came over and wrapped her in his arms, freeing me of my hold. I had never seen Alice less composed and it scared me.

I turned to stare at Edward and he still looked panic stricken. I went over to him and stared into his eyes. He refused to meet my gaze and shot a look over at Jasper. I began to feel strangely calm.

"Jasper, cut it out! I want an answer already!" I screamed. Suddenly, the calm was gone and Jasper was looking at me with a confused expression. I knew that my emotions had triggered my defense but I didn't care. That would teach him to mess with my emotions. "Now, I'm not going to calm down for real until Edward or Alice tells me what they just saw."

"Bella, calm down. I will tell you what happened, I just need to take it in for a second," Edward calmly stated through tight lips. I stood in front of him and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting. Eventually he took a deep breath and looked into my crimson eyes.

"Bella, the Volturi have learned of your transformation," he stated simply.

I felt like I was going to explode. That was what this was all about? "Isn't that a _good_ thing? I mean, that's one of the reasons this all happened. They were bound to check sooner than later and now they don't have an excuse to kill me. And how did they find out so fast?"

"That's the thing. They have been spying on us. I don't know how we couldn't see it until now. They were obviously slipping through the holes in Alice's visions and staying far enough away so that I couldn't hear their thoughts," he answered. He still hadn't answered my question though. So what if they were spying on me?

"Bella, love, they also know about your power. And they feel threatened. I mean, we don't even know the full extent of it and it has them cowering with their tails between their legs. They see you as a threat, and..." Edward trailed off.

"And what...?" I said softly but I was sure I already knew the answer.

"They have decided that the Cullen family is too strong and too large for their liking. They will be here in three days," he responded slowly.

I sank to the ground and clutched my head in my hands, shaking uncontrollably. This wasn't supposed to happen. The Volturi were supposed to leave us alone when I became a vampire. Why, why, why?! "No...no, this won't happen. I'll go to Italy and meet them before before they come here. That way they won't hurt you all," I whispered.

Edward grabbed me by the shoulders and looked at me with a furious gaze. "Isabella Swan. Don't you ever say that again! You are a member of this family now and we are going to stick together. If the Volturi want one of us, then they are going to get all of us," he hissed. I cringed back and tried to accept his words. However, I couldn't bear to be putting them in this danger.

"And don't even think that you are going to run away and sneak off to Italy alone. I will NOT lose you again. We will deal with this together, as a family, as a united front. I love you too much to even think about you going to the Volturi by yourself. They would rip you to shreds right where you stood," he cringed as he said those words and I could see that it pained him a great deal.

I pushed myself against his chest and he crushed me against him. "Okay, we will do this together then," I promised in a subdued tone. His muscles relaxed slightly and I buried my face in his shoulder. Fate was always working against us, even now that I was immortal.

Rosalie's voice shocked me as I stood there lost in my own thought. "We need to go tell Carlisle and Esme," she stated. Edward nodded and began to walk towards his Volvo. I followed him over.

"Bella and I will go tell Carlisle. If you guys could break the news to Esme. And after that we need to start training Bella. I was hoping to put this off for a few months, or years, but I guess it can't wait. She won't be able to rely on her instincts alone if it comes to a fight," he grimaced. "And Alice, please try to see if we learn how to control Bella's power before they come. It is going to be important." I saw Alice nod the slightest bit.

_I'll try. I don't know how this is going to turn out Edward. We are going to need a backup plan._ I looked around in confusion. I had just heard Alice's voice, clear as day, but her lips had not moved. I stared from her to Edward and they felt my gaze on them. They both looked at me curiously.

"Alice, what did you just say?" I questioned her. She looked at me even more confused.

"I didn't say anything Bella. What are you talking about?" she stated calmly.

"No, I know I just heard your voice. You said 'I'll try. I don't know how this is going to turn out Edward. We are going to need a backup plan.' I know I heard it!" I exclaimed. I looked at her as she inhaled a sharp breath.

_Oh my god, she can hear my thoughts too?! What is going on?_ I heard her think.

"Alice, believe me, I wish I knew what was going on too," I responded to her unspoken question. Everyone was staring at me, including Edward.

_Oh no... She really is the one. The stories are coming true. They are just supposed to be myth! _Edward thought frantically. My head snapped around to stare at him.

"What stories? What myth? What are you hiding from me?!" I shrieked. I saw his shocked expression. He hadn't realized that I would hear him too.

_Here we go. Bella is going to burst any second. Just tell her the story bro before she combusts_ Emmett's 'voice' broke through the silence.

"I agree with Emmett," I snapped.

_Oops... Guess you can hear me too Bella _Emmett's sheepish face looked over at me.

"Damn right I can. Now someone tell me or I will march right into the hospital right now and find Carlisle to ask him," I growled. I knew that wasn't the best idea since I was supposed to be in the Caribbean and I'm sure someone would notice me. I didn't care though. I was tired of not getting any answers.

"Okay, Bella. I promise, I will tell you everything. First we need to warn Carlisle. It is a long story and it is complicated. Carlisle needs to know right now though," Edward said urgently. I relaxed slightly and slid into the passenger seat of the car. Edward was already in his seat and starting the motor. I saw a flash of silver and he lifted the cell phone to his ear. I heard him murmuring to his adoptive father, "Carlisle can you please come meet us. It's important." There was a pause. "Okay, meet you there in 15 minutes." He snapped the phone shut and slid it into his pocket. He reached over and squeezed my hand as he pulled out of the garage.

Once we were out of the driveway, he drove south a little ways and then took a side road west. I had never been this way before and I was unsure of where we were headed. "Aren't we going to the hospital to meet Carlisle?" I questioned. I knew from multiple experiences that the hospital was in the complete opposite direction.

He looked at me with a shocked gaze. "Bella, if I brought you to the hospital, every patient and employee there would be dead within 10 minutes. The smell of blood within a 10 mile radius is strong enough to drive all but the most disciplined vampires mad," he explained. Oh, I hadn't thought of that.

We rounded a corner and I saw Carlisle's black Mercedes pulled to the side of the road. The gorgeous doctor was leaning against his bumper with a composed look on his face. Edward pulled over and turned off the car. We stepped out to go meet Carlisle.

"What's wrong Edward?" he asked in a calm voice.

Edward then began to tell him the whole story. He told him of the Volturi and my uncanny ability to now read minds as well which led to him mentioning the story again. I listened to see if either thought about this when it was mentioned but both seemed to be carefully blocking their thoughts. I guess Carlisle had had a few centuries to perfect keeping people out of his head. I ground my teeth together and waited for Edward to finish.

Once the story was over, Carlisle simply nodded his head and looked at me. "I should have known. Your transformation only took a day and a half. And your blood was strong. I should have known..." he trailed off. He seemed to regain his composure and looked back at Edward. "The book is in my study in the top drawer of my desk. You might as well let her see the whole thing."

Edward nodded and turned to me. He slipped his hand in mine and squeezed it tightly. "Alright, Bella. You ready to learn how you are fulfilling the oldest legend, both human and vampire alike, that has existed since the beginning of time?"

I gaped at him and he managed a strained chuckle. "I guess that is a yes then," he grimaced. I let him lead me back to the car and watched in a daze as we sped back towards the house. I was more aware when we pulled into the garage. I got out of the car and followed him into the house and up to Carlisle's study. He walked around to the desk and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a thin volume that looked extremely old. It had no title and it was bound in emerald green leather.

Edward beckoned me over. I hesitantly approached the book, unsure of what it contained. He took a deep breath and said to me, "Alright, it is all out of the bag now. Time to learn about your ancestors Bella." I was extremely confused. What did my ancestors have to do with anything?

He simply took another sigh and flipped open the book. Then he began to recite the story.


	9. Chapter 8

**Okay, people, I am done with exams and have a three day weekend ahead of me! begins to type furiously Just want to thank everyone for the reviews. Much love to Enthralled for being my first reviewer. Also thanks go to rose111, darkestangeljbm, zwinan, Cantante Bello, MyGuitarsNameIsTwilight, HarunoRin, Mrs. Quincy, and HeSwamtoFrance. Seeing that so many people are getting joy out of my story has inspired me to keep writing. I know that it was suggested that I work a baby into the story, but frankly, kids annoy me somewhat and I am more intent on working on Bella and Edward. Also with the twists that the story is going to be taking, that would be altogether impossible. Especially since Bella is already a vampire! haha, ok... I'll let you get to the story now, enough from me. )**

**Btw, this chapter may seem boring to some, and if so i'm sorry. I didn't particularly enjoy writing this part. it took me longer than usual cause i hit a bit of writer's block. Have no fear though, things will pick up again!**

* * *

"You know how you asked me where vampires came from when we first met?" Edward asked me. I nodded my head, remembering the conversation that seemed to have happened a lifetime ago. "Well some say that we came from evolution. Others believe the legends of our birth."

"Is this like an Adam and Eve type thing? Cause I was never really one for religion," I responded.

Edward chuckled. "You are actually close Bella." I gawked at him. What was he getting at? I didn't want to sit through a Sunday school lecture. "Don't worry love. This isn't some dreary sermon about original sin. This is the story that people don't want others to know. The story of Eve's seventh daughter, Isadora." He looked into my eyes with his rich topaz gaze.

I was intrigued so I motioned for him to go on. He took a deep breath and continued, "When Isadora was born, they thought that she was dead. Her body was cold and pale and she was not breathing. Eve held the baby close to her heart and wept into the child's brown hair. She wanted her newest girl to live. Her whole existence was solely for bringing life into the new world. An hour and a half after the baby girl was born, the sky was deepening into night and something amazing happened. The child began to cry. She was still extremely pale but she was breathing and her heart was pumping. Eve was beyond astounded and she named her Isadora, meaning gift of the moon."

I listened in rapt silence as Edward continued the story. "As the girl grew she turned into a beautiful graceful woman. She had fair skin and deep emerald green eyes. Her auburn hair flowed to her waist and framed her heart shaped face. She was not very tall and had a slim frame." Edward broke away from the story for a moment and stared me straight in the eyes. "Are you beginning to see some familiarities Bella?"

I was momentarily stunned. It was like Edward had just described me with the exceptions of the the green eyes and the gracefulness. Sure I was graceful now, but I hadn't been a week ago. And her name was strangely similar to mine. Isabella and Isadora? Was it just coincidence?

Edward allowed me to brood for a minute before I felt his cool lips on my forehead. "Am I scaring you love?" he asked with a worried look on his face.

I broke out of my thoughts and looked into his eyes. "No, just very thoughtful. Isn't it possible that this is all just coincidence?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Perhaps, but there is more to the story." Edward steered me over to one of the couch's in the study and sat me down next to him. I curled against his side while he continued the narration.

"Now Isadora was a hunter. She oftentimes joined her brothers to hunt or she would go off into the woods alone. She was an amazing archer and was able to take down a prey three times her size from a quarter of a mile away. One summer night, she raced off into the forest to hunt. She had caught sight of a limping deer and she was determined to bring home the meat. She sat still and resolute in the bushes while she observed her soon-to-be prize. When the timing was right, Isadora nimbly strung her bow and nocked an arrow in the string. She was so intent on her prey that she had failed to see the blood red snake circling around her feet."

"As she was pulling back on the string of the bow, the snake began to slither up her leg. She released the arrow and at the same moment, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle. She yelped with pain and looked down to see the snake locked on to her joint. She tried to pry the snakes jaws off but it was to no avail. Suddenly she felt a burning sensation spreading through her leg and she felt like she was on fire. She released her grasp on the snake and fell to the ground writhing and screaming in pain. She felt the slight release of pressure as the snake pulled its fangs out of her skin, but it did nothing to ease the pain. She simply wanted to die and curled up in a ball, waiting for blackness to find her. She slipped into unconsciousness and welcomed the relief."

"It was many days later that Isadora opened her eyes to the bright sunlight. She was confused had no idea where she was. She was also extremely thirsty. She ran to a nearby spring and drank greedily from the clear water. However, she continued to drink but she was still thirsty. She sat back and could not understand. She watched the ripples in the water and when the liquid had once again returned to still glass, she peered into the natural mirror. She lowered her face to the water to observe her reflection and she almost fell into the spring with surprise. Her beautiful green eyes were no longer staring up at her. Instead, blood red irises stared back at her."

"Blood. As soon as the word entered her mind, she knew what she thirsted for. WIthout giving a second thought to her startling reflection, she was up and sprinting through the woods with a pace that she did not even think possible. She thought little of the speed however. She was more intent of an ambrosial scent that had reached her nose. She rounded a tree and there stood a bear. It roared with fury at her but she had no fear. She sprang lithely onto his back and sank her teeth into the nape of his neck. She felt the first drops of blood hit her tongue and her senses came alive with sudden voracity. She sucked at the blood, letting it flow into her system. The bear's body crumpled beneath her and she flung it away, having drained all of the blood. Her new strength astonished her and she was wondering what she had become. It felt amazing but also extremely alien."

Edward looked over at me, breaking his long speech. He gazed into my contemplative eyes. All the similarities were staggering. The eyes, the bear, the speed, the strength, the blood. I looked at Edward and finally managed to speak. "Why are there so many resemblances to this Isadora and myself? It keeps sounding like you are talking about me and not this woman who supposedly existed many thousands of years ago. How does everything add up?" I questioned.

"Patience Bella. I am getting there," he soothed. "As I was saying, Isadora was very confused. She flew with great speeds back to her small village to ask guidance from her brother. She was close to the village when she once again encountered that irresistible smell of blood. She didn't even think as she let her body take control and buried her emotions and thoughts deep in her head. This time the smell was stronger, even more alluring than previously. She could not stand it. She burst into the village and made straight for the larger of the two crude houses that existed in the village."

"Her brother was sitting on the dirt floor working leather with his hands. He looked up at Isadora and went to greet her. He took one look at her blood red eyes and started to back off. Before he could utter a single word, she had descended on him and bitten down on his throat. He gave one scream before she crushed his head in her grasp. She drank all of his blood, before she could comprehend what had happened."

"Once she had regained her senses she regarded the scene with horror. Had she just done this? she thought. She couldn't really remember the past few moments but she was the only one in sight. Her hands were bloody and she looked at her brother's limp form with alarm. And then, the memories came in a rush to her; her brother's scream, the sweet liquid flowing into her mouth, his crushed skull. She began to scream with such force that the walls shook and the sound of birds scattering could be heard outside."

"She began to run, not knowing where she was going or even caring. She ran for three days straight, covering thousands of miles in her reckless speed. She finally stopped at the edge of the ocean. At the top of the highest cliff she could find, she ran right over the edge. She knew that the impact would kill her and she felt a sense of relief as she fell. Soon, the grief that she felt would be gone and so would be the monster that she had become. With that last thought she was smashed against the rocks."

"And yet she did not die. She was in such immense pain that she wished she were dead, but it was not so. Her body began to heal, faster than a normal human, but still agonizingly slow. For a week she laid on the rocks, unable to move her limbs. She finally regained movement of her body and when the pain was gone, she assumed that she was finally dead after all the self-inflicted torture. But the thirst was still there. She was still alive."

"She tried multiple ways to end her existence, trying to get more and more creative about it. Eventually she became reclusive, feeding on the wildlife only when the thirst become uncontrollable. She avoided any human contact and no mortal eyes saw her for over 50 years."

"She became delusional. Time had no meaning and her body refused to age. She wandered aimlessly through the woods, never with a destination, always without reason. All creatures shied away from her presence as she roamed the continent. Every so often she would accidently come within a vicinity of a human. And that human always ended up dead before they knew what had happened."

"One fateful evening, she came across a beautiful young man walking through the woods. She had never seen such a gorgeous human being before. She wanted him, more than just in a way that thirsted for his blood. Her emotions burned deep in her mind but her thirst still managed to overpower. She snuck up on the man and jumped on his back from behind. She bit into his neck and he yelped. However, her lust for him still burned strongly in her mind and she pulled away before she could suck any blood from his system. She held his thrashing body in her hands and tried to calm him. She could not succeed though, so she simply laid him on the ground and sat by his side, waiting for his pain to end."

"After three days, the man stopped writhing in pain and looked up into Isadora's eyes with a blood colored gaze. Isadora gasped and ran away in alarm. Before she knew what had happened, she felt arms around her waist and someone pulling her back. She turned around and saw the man looking at her with deep concentration.

'Who are you?' he asked. She was so blown away by his beauty that she simply responded 'Isadora.' 'Do you believe in love at first sight Isadora? Cause I do,' he murmured. She simply nodded her head and he kissed her with such passion that she would never forget that moment."

"After that, the two became inseparable lovers. They traveled the continents together, feeding on humans and animals alike. They even changed other human beings to join in their lonely existence. Thus the first covens of vampires were born."

I was so lost in Edward's story that I failed to mention that he had stopped. My mind was racing once again with all the new information. Edward gently hugged my shoulders, "Don't worry Bella, I am almost done with the story. The most important part is coming up, the part that pertains to you."

I gazed into his topaz eyes and waited for him to begin. His voice became rushed and he seemed eager to let out the rest of the story. "Now as you know, many vampires have special abilities and the ones that the two lovers changed possessed them. Isadora became jealous and outraged that others were more powerful than her. She flew into a fury and was bombarded by a rush of thoughts and emotions. Suddenly she could do all these things that her fellow vampires could do separately and she had all the powers combined. Another attribute of this power was that she could render the others unable to use their abilities."

"The other vampires began to fear and resent her as she became a tyrannical leader, blinded by power. They plotted to due away with her as she became reckless, threatening to expose the lifestyle that they had previously kept hidden from the world. One night, a large group of vampires confronted Isadora and her lover. She tried to use her powers against them but they simply overpowered the couple. They were torn to shreds and burned within minutes."

"After that day, vampires mostly disappeared from public existence. Of course they still lived, but they kept their presence very well hidden, living amongst humans with no one the wiser. But once every couple thousand years, a girl would be changed and she would posses the same powers as Isadora. When the other vampires realized what the new girl possessed, they would destroy her almost instantly. They feared the power that she might bring and come to abuse."

"No girl has been encountered until now for the past four thousand years. All the vampires assumed that the cycle had ended with the last girl who had been destroyed some time in ancient Egypt."

"What do you mean, until now?" I whispered.

"We think that you are the next Isadora, Bella, and that is why the Volturi are coming," Edward responded quietly.


	10. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the continuing reviews people! Here I am getting excited over 24 reviews when some other stories have hundreds! hint hint wink wink anyways, enjoy!**

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"You are kidding right? I mean I'm nothing that special. I'm just Bella. Just Bella... Just..." I stammered.

Edward tightened his hold around me and whispered in my ear, "You are the most special thing in the world to me. Never think that you are 'just Bella'. You are the meteor in my sky of darkness, you are the reason for my existence. And I will never EVER let anything happen to you."

"But what can we do? The Volturi are going to be here in three days and there are too many of them! We don't have a chance of fighting them all off! I won't let them hurt you. I won't cause any more pain. I won't..." My voice trailed off as I tried to think of some way out of this.

"We will think of something Bella. No one is going to get hurt. We will get around this somehow," Edward stated with confidence. I looked up into his eyes and I thought I saw a flash of doubt in the golden pools, but it was gone before I could see clearly. A look of fierce determination replaced the moment of doubt.

"Can't we just go to Volterra and try to explain? Maybe..." I began.

"Maybe what?" Edward said slowly. I knew that he was not going to like what I proposed next, but it was the only alternative I could think of besides waiting here for the inevitable.

"If I were to take Aro up on his proposition... to join them..." I stated. I heard a sharp intake of breath from beside me and continued before he could say anything. "If they had my so called power on their side, they would feel no need to come after the Cullen family." The idea hurt to even speak, knowing that the outcome would tear me away from my true love and family, but I would do anything at all,_anything_ to protect them.

"No! Never! I will not lose you!" a deep growl emanated from within his chest. I looked over at his horrified eyes and was stung by the hurt that I saw in his eyes.

Suddenly the door of the study burst open and Alice was standing in my face in a flash with a furious look on her face. Her eyes were thin slits and her posture extremely tense.

"I see what you are planning Bella! Don't you ever think of doing that to us, to Edward, to _me_! You are my sister and my best friend. I will not have you turned into some mindless slave of the Volturi! I will not lose both of you to them!" She screamed. I pulled back with shock.

And then I saw it. _Walking down a long stone sewer, my black cloak brushing the ground, flanked in the front and back by unknown cloaks, preventing my escape, watching my every move. We came to the end of the tunnel and walked through an intricately designed door of metal. The next hallway was white with industrial fluorescent lights burning every few yards along the ceiling. The scene was so familiar. We kept walking until we came to a chamber where Aro sat with a small smirk on his face. "Welcome home, Isadora," he greeted me. And then I was enveloped by darkness and heard a laughter coming from far off, Aro's voice praising someone. "Well done Alec," he commented, still with laughter in his voice._

I came back to myself and stared dejected at my hands. "What would you rather have me do Alice?" I whispered. I was shaken by the vision and still trying to understand all the I had Seen through Alice's power.

"Anything. Anything at all! We are going to fight. You will NOT give up that easily. We are strong as a family and we will persevere!" she exclaimed. It was hard to doubt her determination, but I asked her a question all the same.

"And what did you see happening before I had that thought Alice? What was the outcome of the encounter?" I forced the words out refusing to meet the gaze of either Alice or Edward. I simply stared at the floor.

"I... I didn't see anything. I couldn't see what was going to happen," she said quietly. I heard the hesitance in her voice and I knew she was lying.

_It just can't be this way. We have to do something. This can't just be the inevitable. There HAS to be some other way! There just has to be._ Alice voice rang through my head.

"Tell me the truth Alice. Spare me the lies. I can read it in your thoughts," I stated softly. "You told me you would never lie to me. Now hold to your promise."

_Crap..._ her voice sounded out. I looked up and fixed her with a piercing stare. She took a deep breath and said through strained lips, "All of our future's disappear three days from today."

I took in the words that set my plans in stone. They would not all die for me. I would not stand by and allow my family to be slaughtered. We might be a big family but we were still no match for the Volturi. I could picture little Jane giggling with laughter as Edward cringed against the ground. I would never be the reason for such pain again.

I felt Edward shaking my shoulders, but my mind was not there. I was lost in a daze as I thought of what was going to happen. I would have to sacrifice myself for the rest of my family. It would be worth it if I knew that they were safe.

"Bella... Bella, snap out of it please," Edward's musical voice was tinted with pain as I focused back on the present. I sighed and leaned heavily against him, breathing in his scent. Who knew how much longer I would have left with him?

"You can't. You just can't... No..." Alice was repeating under her breath. And then Jasper was there, holding Alice's shaking form in his arms, glaring at me for causing her so much pain. My resolve wavered in his gaze and I faced my head into Edward's shoulder and cried tearless sobs.

His protective arms encircled me and he began to hum my lullaby. I melted against his body and concentrated on his scent. Time seemed to lose all meaning and all that mattered was that, for the moment, I was safe in Edward's arms. My racking breaths calmed and I laid there for an extended period of time with Edward rubbing my arm, trying to soothe me.

It had only been a day and my new life was already crumbling into pieces. But I would have to be the only one to suffer. The rest of them would move on.

I took one last deep breath of Edward and said that I needed to be alone for a bit. I could see it sting him that I did not want his presence but he tried to hide it from his face. I took one look at him before I turned and walked out the door, not stopping to look at Alice and Jasper, afraid that the sight of them would break my determination. It was hard enough to see Edward's hurt expression.

I made my way to the kitchen with my passport in my pocket and snatched my key from the counter along with a black American Express card with my name laying next to it. I flew out to the garage, not thinking, simply concentrating on getting away. I had just started the engine of my Lexus when I heard a terrifying and horrific roar from the house. I knew that Alice had just informed Edward of my newest plans. I hit the gas at that moment and caught one last look at his horrified face in the doorway as I sped out of the garage.

Before I knew it I was on the main road, heading for Seattle. I didn't think of his face as I sped along at 190 miles per hour. I didn't even glimpse at the speedometer inching towards 200. I would catch the next flight to Italy and travel to Volterra from there. No point in waiting for them to come here. Might as well meet my fate face on.

The needle threatened to hit 200 as I flew down the empty highway.

_BELLA! PULL OVER! _His shouting thoughts pulled me out of my trance. I gasped and glanced in my rearview mirror. A silver Aston Martin and bright Yellow Porsche were coming behind me and closing the distance.

_Please Bella... Please... Please stop..._ Alice's wavering thoughts came into my head.

No. No! NO! I couldn't hurt them. I blocked the thoughts from my head and continued down the road, pushing the pedal even farther down. The Roadster was approaching 210 when the needle suddenly began to fall back. A heard a small ding and saw the Low Fuel light come on. CRAP! No! I tried to push the pedal down but the car refused to accelerate.

Soon the silver streak of Edward's car was right on my tail and I could see his furious expression in my rearview mirror. I pulled to the side and slammed on the breaks, swerving to the side, keeping one hand on the wheel, stuffing my passport and credit card in my pocket with the other. Edward and Alice streaked past, not have predicted my sudden stop.

As soon as the car was stopped, I yanked the key out of the ignition and flew out of the driver's seat, allowing the door to hang open as I bolted into the surrounding woods. I heard the squeal of breaks but I refused to look back.

I ran as fast as I could through the woods, concentrating on heading east. I had heard that vampires were good swimmers. I would just swim the sound and run to Seattle from there.

The trees flew past without definition, the ground a flat plane beneath my feet. I began to smell the salty scent of the ocean knowing that I was almost there. I could see the glistening of the water in the sun up ahead and pushed myself as fast I could go.

I had just hit the sand when something collided with me from behind. Iron restraints encircled me as I was thrown onto the sand, his body twisting to hit the beach with me landing on his chest.

I tried to struggle against him, but I soon felt another force collide with my body, pinning me against Edward. Alice's thin arms wrapped around me, forcing me to stay pressed against his body.

I stopped struggling against them, knowing that it would be impossible to overpower both. I let my body go slack in their grips and buried my face in his chest.

All was quiet and I waited for their wrath. I closed my eyes and waited for the torrent to come. His soft and composed voice surprised me. "Bella... how could you? How could you go off alone in this?"

I was unable to speak, trying to think of a way out of this.

"Bella, we know that we can't stop you... So... We are coming with you," he spoke quietly.


	11. Chapter 10

**ok, so I got a little carried away with going into details this chapter and as a result, the story didn't go very far. (waits for the torches and pitchforks) I'll be better next chapter with advancing the story, promise!**

**Oh, and keep reviewing please! It gives me motivation to keep writing!**

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I was still wedged between Edward and Alice, and they didn't seem to want to let ago, afraid that I would dart again. I knew that I wasn't as fast as either of them though. "It's okay... I'm not going to run," I mumbled into Edward's chest. Alice loosened her hold and slid over to sit on the sand. I continued pressed against Edward, simply breathing his scent in. How could I ever have thought of leaving my angel? I hated myself. I realized how much he cared for me and how much I meant to him.

I heard Alice give a slight sigh next to me. I looked over and she was dialing in her silver cell phone. I heard her begin to speak quickly to Jasper. "Jasper, I need you to bring a container of gas with Rosalie and Emmett and pick up my car and Bella's." She paused for a moment while Jasper responded. "She is set in her plans. She just tried to run from us but we caught her. Edward and I are going with her..." Another moment of silence before Alice's voice gained a panicked edge. "No! I won't let you get sucked into this too!"

I knew that Alice was trying to stop Jasper from following her and the thought broke my still heart. I couldn't separate them, not again. Jasper had been afraid that he would lose his love the first time we traveled to Volterra. I would not cause him that kind of pain again.

I sat up and went over to grab Alice's hand. She looked up at me with surprise, the cell phone still to her ear. "Alice, I won't let you come with me. Jasper needs you, the rest of the family needs you. Edward and I can handle this, I don't want to put you in danger," I said to her. She eyes became sad and she dropped the cell phone to the sand. She threw her arms around me and began to dry sob into my shoulder.

"Bella, I can't let you do that! I can't... Edward... you... I can't let you go without me!" she cried.

I wrapped my arms around her and ran my hands along her back, soothing her. I whispered in her ear, "You can let us go Alice, and you will. Jasper needs you. And you need him. We will be fine. I just don't want to take any chances of them coming here." Mentioning Jasper seemed to hit a nerve with her and she crumpled in my arms. "We _will_ be fine and we _will_ see you again soon," I assured her.

She looked up into my bloody gaze and forced a small smile on her face. "I know you guys will be okay. I can't see everything cause I don't know what the Volturi will say, but I have faith in you two. And thank you Bella. I would follow you no matter, you know that right?" she questioned.

"I know Alice. I know. But what I need to know is that you are safe," I assured her. She nodded and picked up the cell phone that she had dropped in the sand, soothing the probably frantic Jasper.

I turned my attention away from her and turned to Edward. He had been very quiet throughout the conversation and he was staring at me with compassionate eyes. He spoke for the first time, "Bella, you don't have to do this. We can stay here and take this on as a united family. It doesn't have to be this way. We have a better chance if we stay here."

I just shook my head and spoke quietly, "Either way, Edward, I can't think this is going to end very peacefully. If we go to Volterra now, we have the element of surprise and we may be able to reason with Aro. If we waited, they would just send Jane and the rest of the guard who probably have little to no compassion. This way we can hold some sort of chance."

His shoulders slumped and he had clearly seen my logic. Jane would have no hesitance in ripping through the Cullen family. And I had no idea what other gifts the rest of the guard possessed. We would have to face the problem head on.

He stood up and reached for my hand. I took it and he pulled me up into his embrace, wrapping his arms around me in an unbreakable grasp. After a few moments, he broke away but continued to hold my hand. "Come on then, you will need to hunt again if you are going to be in an airport and airplane full of people for many hours," he said with a forlorn look.

Oops, I had forgotten about the whole thirsting for human blood thing when I had gone running off. This might be harder than I thought.

"Actually Edward... about that," Alice's voice cut in. I saw Edward's jaw drop.

"So much for blending in _at all_," he mumbled under his breath. I looked with curiosity at Alice and she giggled.

"So I might, just might, have hit the stock market surprisingly well the past couple weeks," she grinned. I was waiting to see where she was going with this. "And I _might_ have bought a private jet," she said with a sheepish smile. My jaw dropped to match Edward's.

"You... bought a jet?! Why would you need your own airplane?! Alice..." I groaned. Knowing her, she wanted it to make trips to Paris to shop whenever she wanted to.

"Well you never know when the urge to shop designer clothing is going to hit you..." she said slowly with an embarrassed edge to her voice. Yep, leave it to Alice to buy her own air transportation to shop.

"I suppose that it is a good thing that you did, as ridiculous as it is. But one question, who is going to fly it?" the thought hit me. But the problem was instantly resolved.

"I will Bella. I've had enough time in the past hundred years to go to pilot school," Edward chuckled. I should of known, I laughed to myself. Edward was perfect at everything.

The humor died away and we all returned to the current situation. I was the first one to speak, "Well I guess we should get back to the cars and get going." Edward nodded ever so slightly and led the way away from the ocean, keeping a hold on my hand. Alice followed closely behind, still clutching the cell phone to her ear and murmuring to Jasper.

We ran through the woods, Edward easily keeping pace with my slightly slower run. We came to the road and I found his Vanquish half in the grass, the door still wide open, long skid marks evident on the pavement. Alice's Porsche was set about a quarter of a mile ahead, also with deep skids leading up to her back tires. I could see the red glint of my Lexus a small ways behind Edward's silver car.

"Rosalie is going to kill you for ruining all of our brakes," Edward tried to joke. I cracked a small smile and allowed a little giggle to escape from my lips. He smiled back at me and led me over to his car.

Alice came next to me and held out her hand. I dropped the key to my car in her hand and gave her a quick kiss on both cheeks. She hugged me and I whispered in her ear, "I will see you soon, and I love you more than words can say. You are my sister and nothing can keep me away from you." I smiled brightly at her and she tried to return the gesture. I knew how much she wanted to come with us but I just could not let her.

I slid into the passenger seat of the Aston Martin and gently closed the door. I heard Alice and Edward exchanging farewells and soon Edward was sitting next to me starting the engine. I took one last look at Alice's sad face before we were speeding south once again.

It was a quiet ride and Edward avoided any towns or cities, always keeping the windows rolled up and the air recirculating in the car. Soon though, we began to see signs for Seattle. I heard Edward groan and felt the car slow as we encountered a busier highway.

He followed the signs to Sea-Tac Airport and entered a long line of cars waiting to gain entrance to the airport's parking garages. Edward turned into a parking garage and wound his way up to the upper level. He stopped in front of a gate and flashed a card in front of the sensor next to the driver's side window. The gate opened and he slowly advanced onto the top tier. Instead of regular parking spaces, there were rows and rows of individual garages.

He pulled up to one of the doors and touched a button on the dashboard. The door opened and he eased the car into the space. Edward smirked at me, "I wouldn't want someone stealing my car while we were away." I just snickered at him and made to open the door. Edward grabbed my arm and I stopped my hand reaching for the handle.

"Bella, we are in very close proximity to hundreds, no thousands, of humans. I hate to make you do this, but I think you should probably hold your breath until we get on the plane. I know it is uncomfortable but I don't think we can risk it," he said. I nodded, seeing the logic in it. It wouldn't be so bad to hold my breath for an hour or so.

Edward produced two pairs of stylish sunglasses from the glove compartment. He handed one pair to me and I proceeded to put them on, hiding my crimson irises. I took one last deep breath and held it in my lungs, saving it or later in case I needed to speak. I nodded at Edward and opened my door.

It was impossible to complete block out all of the scents that I was bombarded with but I clenched my teeth and allowed Edward to wrap his arm around my waist, holding me to him. We walked out of the garage and Edward touched a keypad on the wall to close the door. Together we walked at a normal pace to a set of stairs a hundred feet away.

I kept my eyes fixed on Edward's face, trying to block out of all of the irresistible smells of blood assaulting me. He set a brisk pace forward and we avoided large groups of people. Every time a human passed too closely to us, Edward would tighten his grip around my waist.

We came to a desk that was marked 'Private Flights' where a young woman sat. Edward approached her and she looked up from the computer she was typing on. Edward removed his sunglasses and the girl sat back a bit, 'dazzled' by his appearance.

"Hello, my name is Edward Masen. I would like to charter my Cessna Mustang to Rome." Edward presented her with a pilot's license and some paperwork.

"Ah yes, I see that your jet is housed in Hanger 4. Just give me about 20 minutes to work you into the take-off rotation and work out fuel stops for your jet," the woman stated. Edward nodded and she began to type quickly into the computer.

Edward steered me over to a couch set back from the crowds and I cuddled against his shoulder. My lungs were aching but I did not dare to breath. We sat there for about fifteen minutes before the young woman called to Edward.

We walked over and she explained our route. Due to the smaller fuel tank of the plane, we would need to stop three times to refuel. The lady was professional enough not to ask us why we didn't simply save a lot of money and fly first class on a commercial flight.

"You will need to fly from here to Chicago to refuel. From there, you will travel to St. John's, Newfoundland. Then to London where you will be able to make it to Rome. You will need to radio ahead 45 minutes before you reach each airport so that they may work you into the arriving and departing line-up. You are tentatively scheduled at each of these times as of now," the woman explained as she handed Edward a printed piece of paper.

Edward thanked her and steered me through a door to the side of the desk. We descended the staircase behind the door and came out onto a huge expanse of pavement. Ahead of us were a multitude of hangers with giant numbers on each. We walked toward the one with the giant 4.

The hanger doors were wide open and I could see a few small planes housed inside. One plane was being towed out onto the tarmac and it was towards this one that we walked.

Oh Alice... I thought. The plane was a gorgeous sleek machine. Two small engines adorned the tail of the white plane. A ladder was lower and Edward and I climbed up into the cockpit. Edward pulled the door closed and secured the latch in the locked position.

"Okay, Bella, you can breathe now," Edward told me. I took a deep breath and felt the oxygen flowing into my lungs. It felt wonderful to smell properly now.

Edward sat down in the pilot's seat and he motioned for me to sit in the seat next to him. I sank into the leather and put on the pair of ear phones he handed to me. He was then flipping all kinds of switches and speaking into his headset. It was all pilot talk and I didn't understand nor cared to understand what he was talking about.

I simply laid my head against the seat and closed my eyes. Before I knew it the plane jerked slightly and Edward had his hands on the controls, steering the plane towards the runway. I heard a voice buzz in my ear, "Cessna Mustang, you are cleared for takeoff."

"Roger," Edward responded. He pulled the plane onto the straight expanse of pavement and pushed his foot down on a petal. Suddenly the plane was accelerating at great speeds down the lane. As we were approaching the end of the pavement, Edward pulled the handles back gently and the nose of the plane rose into the air.

And then we were flying. Flying away from home and flying to meet our fate.


	12. Chapter 11

**I'm sorry this is such a short chapter. I would make it longer, but I have to go to work. I'll try to update again tonight. Enjoy and REVIEW please!!**

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The plane ride had been peaceful. There was a calming aspect to the endless sky of blue. I wanted to just stay in that plane next to my true love forever. Every time we descended, I knew that we were getting closer to our destination.

Finally we had come to the last leg of the trip and landed in Rome. Edward left me in the plane for a bit, telling me that he would be right back with a car.

Next thing I knew, a bright red Ferrari was screeching to a stop right outside the plane. My mouth fell open. Stupid cars... Couldn't he ever go for something that was less inconspicuous?

I cut off the flow of air to my lungs and descended the ladder from the plane. Edward was standing next to the car with a big grin on his face. "You have to love Italian cars..." he mused. I gave him a look and he just chuckled at me. I walked over to the passenger side and he held the door open for me. I saw the words 430 Scuderia on the back next to the Ferrari symbol.

As soon as he was in the car and the door was shut, I exhaled loudly. "Could you have picked any more of a flashy car?" I asked him.

"Hmm, I don't think so really. But since when do I go for boring cars? And at least now we have a car in Italy," he laughed.

"You bought this?!" I exclaimed.

"Well, I don't know how long we are going to be here... I figured we should have some means of transportation," he said in a more subdued tone. Oh, yea. I had momentarily forgotten the whole reason for this trip.

Edward started the car and merged onto the highway. I realized that we were heading north and I asked, "Why didn't we just fly to Florence? It would have been faster."

"Yes, it would have been faster, but the Volturi also may have been alerted to our arrival if we had flown in there. They have eyes and ears everywhere around their city and the arrival of a private jet would have caused some curiosity," he explained.

Always the one for the most logical situation. Good thing one of us thought everything through, I laughed to myself. "And besides," he continued. "This car is fast enough to get us there with plenty of time. The Volturi weren't scheduled to leave until early tomorrow afternoon. We should be there by nightfall."

We lapsed into silence after that, Edward always keeping one hand on the wheel and the other entwined in my fingers. The sun lowered in the sky as we sped north. Edward stopped once for gas, but other than that, the trip was uninterrupted.

It was dusk when the city atop the hill came into view. My stomach seemed to drop out of my body when I saw it but I would not back out now. I let the image of the Cullen family swim into my mind and they were my inspiration. They were the reason that I was doing this. I would protect them.

Edward slowed the car and began the climb up to the city gate. His knuckles were strained over the steering wheel and his grip on my hand became tighter.

He pulled through the gates and thankfully the streets were relatively deserted. Edward pulled the car into a small alcove right near the entrance to the city. When the car was stopped, he reached around behind his seat and handed me a sweatshirt with a hood. He pulled a similar one over his head and it hid almost all of his skin, save for his face. I shrugged on the sweatshirt and pulled the hood up, tucking my hair in, masking my features. I kept the sunglasses on and stepped out of the car.

I had forgotten to hold my breath. I was assaulted with hundreds of smells, each the more delicious than the next. My body shuddered and I grabbed my head between my hands, trying to keep control. I felt Edward's strong arms wrap around me and I pressed my head into his chest, breathing in his scent. We stood there for a few moments while I calmed my raging emotions.

"Well, well, well. This _is_ quite a surprise," a deep voice echoed from behind us. Edward whirled around, spinning me behind his back and forcing me against the ancient stone of the closest building. His arms came out in protective defense in front of me, his body less than an inch away from me.

I heard a chuckle and saw three hooded figures emerge from the shadows advancing towards us. I recognized the voice of the closest cloak who allowed his hood to fall back. Sure enough, Demetri stood before us with a bemused expression on his face.

The other vampires allowed their hoods to fall back and I saw Felix and the beautiful vampire named Heidi flanking him. This had curious expressions on their perfect faces, also mingled with confusion.

"What brings you to Volterra, Edward? Ah, and I see that you are not alone. I can only assume that it is Bella that you are hiding behind you. She smells much the same... except different," he remarked. Then a smile spread across his face. "So you did change her after all! Well that is too bad, she would have been so delicious."

A low growl issued from Edward's throat. "Stay calm Bella. Do not let your power get out, we do not want them to know the extent of what you can do yet," Edward murmured in a voice so low that I could only hear him. I nodded ever so slightly and calmed my mind, thinking of Edward's scent and nothing else.

"Shall we move to a more fitting environment, perhaps?" Demetri asked. Edward dropped his arms and dropped his chin to his chest in resignation. I heard Demetri laugh once more and then begin to lead the way through the dark alley. Edward wrapped his arm tightly around my waist and steered me after the hulking vampire. I heard Heidi and Felix follow us from behind.

I sucked a breath and held it in my lungs, stopping the flow of air. I saw Demetri's eyes flicker back and he chuckled once more. "Still not in control are you Bella? You must be quite new to this life," he laughed. Edward's arm tightened around me and I concentrated on him, blocking out Demetri.

We walked through the city, avoiding any human life and came to the huge business facade of a building that secretly held the home of the Volturi. I cringed as we approached the building and Edward ran his hand along my arm, soothing me.

We entered the doors and proceeded to an industrial style elevator. I allowed my breathing to resume normally as we stepped inside, the three Volturi at ease, Edward and I tensed in the corner. The elevator dinged and the doors closed. We began to rise and my body became more rigid with each passing second.

The electronic display displayed the number 4 and the doors opened. Demetri stepped out and motioned for us to follow. Edward sighed and followed him, keeping me at his side. We walked down the long hallway and I never thought it would end. Eventually it did and we came to a stone wall with a wooden door frame set in it.

Demetri stopped at the door and held it open, motioning for us to enter. I took one deep breath and crossed the threshold with my love at my side.


	13. Chapter 12

**Review, Review, Review! That is all. Enjoy!**

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We walked into a stone chamber, similar to the one that we had seen on our first trip to this very building. However this room was somewhat less menacing being only two stories high with floor to ceiling open windows. I felt the warm summer breeze blowing through the room. However I had little time to concentrate on the niceties. Sitting across the room on three wooden thrones were the brothers of the Volturi.

Marcus and Caius looked bored as always, but Aro had a surprised expression on his face. His eyes flickered between Edward and I as we slowly walked towards them. I allowed my hood to fall back and my hair to cascade down my shoulders. I kept the sunglasses on however.

"Edward! Bella! What brings you to Italy? I had not expected to see the two of you for some time, at least until we came to check on you..." Aro's words were cut short as he caught our scents. His expression went from one of confusion to one of delight. "Ah, take of those sunglasses would you, dear Bella? I can clearly smell that you are no longer human," he asked.

I knew I had no choice in the matter, so I slowly removed the glasses and fixed Aro with my gaze. "Interesting, very interesting..." he murmured. I was confused and I looked to Edward for clarification. My love stared back at me and an expression of shock crossed his face.

_Why did her eyes have to turn now...?_ he groaned to himself. He saw me looking at him and realized that I had heard his thoughts. He continued with a silent explanation. _Bella, your eyes are no longer red._ I thought this was a good thing, thinking that my eyes were now the brilliant topaz that his were. _Your irises are now green Bella. The same emerald color that belonged to Isadora._

Aro's voice cut through the silence. "Well, it has been a long time, a very long time. Since before my time actually," he began. I felt Edward tense next to me and I pressed more closely against his side. Aro saw our reactions and a flicker of amusement flashed across his face. "Well from your postures, I can only assume that you know what I am talking about. Bella had a very private mind while she was human and I can only assume that ability has carried over into her immortality. And the eyes, not the typical red, or yellow in your case Edward, but _green_. Do you know who the last vampire was to possess such characteristics? The last one who lived for longer than a day after her transformation?"

He stopped his speech there and stared directly at me. I tried to look away but those clouded red eyes were too mesmerizing. I knew that he was waiting for me to answer, but I was scared to speak the name. Scared that they would cut me down as soon as the word left my mouth. I felt Edward give me a slight squeeze of comfort and a nod of his head in my peripheral vision.

"Isadora," I muttered.

At the sound of the name, comprehension flickered across the eyes of all three of the brothers. "Ah so it is true," I heard Caius mutter. Aro glanced at him quickly before returning his gaze to Edward and I.

"Now, now it might just be a coincidence. We haven't even learned if dear Bella has a power yet! Perhaps they have just come to prove that they are keeping to their promise to us. Is that it perhaps?" Aro questioned.

I didn't think that we could get away with lying to the ancient vampires, so I decided to tell the true reason for our visit.

"Later yesterday evening, Alice had a vision. That vision showed a large contingent of the Volturi guard arriving in Forks three days later. The Cullen family was engaged in battle and we were all dead before long," I explained, my voice breaking slightly as uttered the last sentence.

"That is preposterous! Carlisle is my dear friend and I would never dare hurt him, let alone order for him or his family to be annihilated! Alice's vision must have been wrong," he exclaimed.

An expression of shock crossed my face and I stared at Edward who was looking directly at Aro. "I know that you are reading my thoughts Edward and you can see that I never ordered such a thing," Aro calmly stated.

Edward's eyes suddenly flickered to Caius who was conveniently staring off in a different direction. He stared at the white haired vampire for a moment before returning his eyes to Aro. His took a deep breath and walked forward towards Aro, still clutching me to his side. I heard a low growl behind us coming from either Felix or Demetri, but Aro silenced whoever it was with a piercing look.

We had reached the wooden throne where Aro sat and Edward seemed to hesitate. The ancient vampire held up his hand, palm up, waiting for my love to make the next move. Seeming to come to an internal decision, Edward raised his hand that was not wrapped around my waist and pressed his palm to Aro's.

As I watched a range of emotions came across Aro's face ranging from surprise to confusion and finally finishing with a furious expression on his face. He looked so dangerous that instinctively shrunk back from him.

He dropped Edward's hand and moved in fluid motion to stand in front of Caius. "How _dare_you go behind my back and order such a thing!" he snarled. "We make decisions as brothers especially ones that involve the eradication of an entire coven!" Aro's eyes were slits and his finger pointed accusingly at his brother. "Three thousand years we have worked to uphold our laws, and you wish to threaten that over one new addition to a coven?! We were the ones who told them that Bella must become a vampire or die!"

"Surely you can see what she is!" hissed Caius. "The legend has been told since before our times. We heard of the last birth of Isadora in Egypt. She is said to have looked exactly like _her_," he said, pointing his long white finger at me. I recoiled from his gaze, Edward hugging me protectively to him.

"I know the stories as well as you Caius, and that shall be handled appropriately," Aro began. Edward and I both tensed into rigid forms at these words. "But you had no right whatsoever to give such a command! Had Bella and Edward not shown up, our dear friend would be dead with me non the wiser," he fumed.

Suddenly he composed himself slightly and turned to talk to Demetri behind us. "Demetri, would you please escort Bella and Edward to a sitting room while I have a few words with my brothers. No need for everyone to hear the bickering of some old vampires," he tried to joke. The laughter did not reach his eyes however.

Edward turned me around and steered me out of the room after Demetri. Our hulking vampire escort would not meet either of our gazes and he was apathetic as he led us down the hall. We stopped at a nondescript door which Demetri opened and ushered us in. He stood in the doorway and finally met Edward's gaze. "Do not try to leave," he stated and then closed the door and I heard the click of a lock.

I highly doubted that one lock could deter two vampires but I knew that was not the only obstacle we would face. No doubt, there were a multitude of guards standing watch right outside.

I felt my body shaking and Edward steered me over to a lumpy couch pressed against the wall. We sat down and I curled into a ball against his side. He ran his fingers through my hair and began to hum my lullaby. My trembling slowly stopped and I felt like I could breathe normally. I breathed in his scent deeply and calmed my racing thoughts.

"Shh Bella. It is going to be okay. Aro is absolutely furious at Caius. He also knows that Marcus had a hand in the planning. This works in our favor actually. One brother is not supposed to make any decisions without consulting the opinions of the other two," he soothed me.

"But they know that I am Isadora! You heard Aro! They aren't going to let me continue to live!" I yelled.

"Shh, relax love! Relax! Aro doesn't want to destroy you! They don't even know for sure that you are what they think they are. I mean Aro did see my thoughts but I am not even completely sure at this point," he murmured in my ear. "We can just simply hope for the best at this point."

I saw his logic and realized that there was no use in freaking out about what was going to happen next. We could simply hide my power and try to talk our way out of this god forsaken place.

I laid curled against Edward's side for a long time, eventually losing track of time. However, before long, we heard the lock of the door unclick and we straightened up, tense in demeanor.

Demetri stood in the doorway. "The brothers will see you again," he stated. We slowly stood up and followed him out of the room, back towards the fateful room.


	14. Chapter 13

As we entered the room, my mind was telling me to flee but my feet kept walking forward. I was instantly disheartened to see that more vampires were present now than previously had been. I could see the familiar petit shape of Jane and Alec standing close to Aro. There were also a few pale faces that I did not recognize. I also noticed that all the windows were now shut, making the room most likely sound proof from the outside.

The added presence was intimidating and I cringed against Edward. A low growl issued from his throat, and the vampires in the room turned to stare at us. "Try to stay calm no matter what," Edward murmured to me. I moved my eyes up and down once to acknowledge that I had heard him. He gave my hand a small squeeze and we advanced forward towards a now calm Aro.

"My deepest apologies to you two and your family," Aro began. "I was not informed at all of the upcoming events and I am forever grateful that you prevented such. My brothers acted rashly and are sincerely apologetic." I looked at the two other ancient vampires who had slightly sour looks on there face and saw no remorse whatsoever.

I turned my eyes back to Aro as he began to speak once again. "Now that that matter is settled, there is the small issue of an ancient legend said to have come true. Now to my knowledge there are few, if any vampires still alive today to have witnessed the creation of the last so called Isadora. You seem to meet the description perfectly Bella, though we have yet to see what your special talent is."

He waited and I realized that I was expected to answer. Once again, I decided to go with the truth, or at least part of it. "I am only a couple days old to this new life and everything is quite new to me," I started. "As far as I have seen, my mind is still private and I have still been able to block out the abilities of Edward's mind reading. It also seems that I have gained some mind reading skills of my own but they are not consistent. Only when I am concentrating very hard am I able to hear the thoughts of those very close to me." That was as close to the truth as I was getting.

"Ah, so that is all dear? Why it seems that mind reading is becoming a rather popular trait! But your eyes still mystify me. How is it that such a newborn can have such a brilliant shade of green?" he wondered to himself.

He began to talk again, keeping the conversation relatively light. "Now I suppose you have hunted at least once already. How did you find the experience? I can only assume that Edward here has shown you the hunting habits of his family."

"Yes, I have hunted. I almost killed a human when I first stepped outside, but Edward and my brother were able to stop me. After that, a group of us went to a deserted area of the forest where I hunted a bear," I stated.

After the story, Aro's eyes flickered and he murmured, "Another similarity, so very interesting..." Crap, a bear had been the first thing Isadora had hunted and Aro had obviously remembered this.

"Jane dear, would you come here for a moment?" Aro beckoned the little girl over. She skipped lightly to his side. "I would like to try a little experiment," he said his eyes flickering to me. Jane's eyes seemed to brighten at the prospect.

Edward cut in, "You know that won't work Aro, so why waste your time." Then his facial features turned to ones of understanding as he recoiled back slightly. "Stay calm," he whispered in my ear, too low for any others to hear.

"Oh, I know that it will not work on Bella, but it will however work on you Edward," Aro smiled a sickly grin. He gave a small nod, and I knew what was coming next. Edward's screams echoed through the room as Jane turned her sweet grin on my true love.

I tried to close my eyes and drown out the screams of Edward but it was impossible. My eyes flew open and I fixed the little girl with my emerald gaze. Suddenly Edward's shrieks ceased and Jane was now the one writhing in pain on the floor screaming.

I heard Edward yelling my name and I slowly turned my gaze away from the little girl. I turned my eyes to the ground as her screeches died away. Next thing I knew I felt a large force colliding with me from the side, knocking me to the ground and pinning me there. I heard Edward hit the floor somewhere close by.

I tried to yell his name, but Demetri's hand covered my mouth and he snarled in my ear, "You are lucky that you are still alive human lover. If it were up to me, I would rip you limb from limb right where you lay for attacking one of the guard. Now, don't you dare speak unless spoken to, understand me?" I kept my gaze averted, weakly nodding my head once.

I felt the pressure lift from my body and I was wrenched upward by my arm. I winced in pain as Demetri kept a tight fist wrapped around the flesh of my upper arm. I tried to shake him off in the pain but I felt another strong hand wrap around my other arm. I looked over and saw Felix's form standing on my other side restraining me.

I looked over to see if Edward was okay. He seemed unhurt, but his expression was livid. He was being held back by Heidi and an unfamiliar vampire. Vicious snarls were ripping through his lips.

_I am not mad at you Bella. I am furious at those scoundrels for holding you like that! And Aro tricked us! He must have known..._ his thoughts echoed through my head. He continued to fight his captors but to no avail. He finally gave up fighting and hung limply in their grasps, staring with furious eyes at Aro.

I turned my gaze to Aro who looking nothing but amused. Jane was next to him looking very sullen and disgruntled. "Well, not just a mind reader after all, now are you Bella? Seems you are capable of what I thought! Now what to do with you..."

I felt my body go rigid and heard Edward suck in a sharp breath. "The traditional way is to simply rid the world of Isadora every time she shows up. However, I have taken a liking to you Bella. I always knew that you were above the ordinary. Thats why I was so eager to see you changed. I knew that you would be a formidable vampire. And here you stand, Isadora reincarnated, trying to degrade my youngest daughter to a writhing heap of pain. That is true power, for Jane is bested by few."

He seemed to be enjoying his rant and I did not speak, afraid of the two burly vampires still clutching my arms painfully in their grasps.

"But the question is, what is to stop you from simply turning on all of us as soon as I have them let you go? I do not want to see you destroyed. Who knows how many years we would have to wait for the next Isadora to come around? It has been four thousand years since your last appearance. And the guard would be completely invincible with you on our side..." Aro trailed off in thought.

He stopped his speech and seemed to be lost in thought. I saw Marcus and Caius leaning forward eagerly, probably hoping that Aro would decide to have me eliminated.

"I know! Time for another little experiment! Alec, come here please," Aro called. Vicious snarls erupted from Edward and he was fighting forcefully against his restraints. "Now, now, Edward please calm yourself. I would not want to have Bella witness you in such pain again," Aro reproached Edward. I saw my love calm down slightly and glance with anxious eyes in my direction.

Aro continued, looking at me now. "Now Bella, Alec has a very interesting gift. It is one that affects both the mind and body. From our previous little experiments, it seems that you are immune to the mental aspects of our powers. Let us see if you are also immune to the physical."

Aro waved Demetri and Felix off, leaving me alone in the middle of the room. I looked at Edward, afraid that this might be the end. I mouthed the words 'I love you' to him and he responded in my thoughts. _I love you too dear Bella. If this is the end, I will soon follow_.

I tried to yell for him not to, but I was hit by a wall of blackness. I felt myself falling backwards but I could not turns my arms to break my fall. I could do nothing at all actually. I tried to move but my limbs were paralyzed as my body hit the ground. I attempted to scream for help but my mouth was frozen shut. All I could see was blackness. But I could hear. I could here the roar of fury from Edward as I fell and Aro's triumphant laughter. I heard giggles and I could have sworn that they came from Jane who was probably exuberant at the revenge her brother was wreaking on me.

After a moment or so of the blackness, I suddenly blinked and I could see again. The cloak of darkness had been lifted and I was able to move. The sunlight streaming through the windows momentarily blinded me. I caught side of Edward's horrified eyes and I tried to run to him. I felt a hand grasp my arm once more however and yank me back. I shot a glare of hate at Demetri but he simply ignored me.

"So very interesting!" exclaimed Aro. I looked at him and if looks could kill, he would be dead. "It seems that the incapacitating aspects of Alec's power works on you. The other part, the one that cause the victim to visualize their worst nightmare, seems to not affect you," he continued, looking right at me.

He walked forward and stood a few feet from where I was held. "It seems that we have two options Bella. One is that you join us willingly and serve in the Volturi guard," he began. I heard a growl of defiance coming from Edward. Aro turned to gaze at him and laughed. "Of course you may join us as well Edward, like I have told you before, your power would also be a great asset to our company."

He turned back to me. "Now it seems that you have a great deal of power and are in little control of that power. If we were to simply release you, who knows what damage you might do. Also, we do not take such powerful competition lightly Bella. The other option is to follow the traditional way of dealing with the reincarnation of Isadora."

I gasped and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please... I promise, just let us go... I won't do anything, I swear..." I begged him.

He looked down at me with sorry eyes. "I'm sorry Bella, but you must choose one of the two. Join us as a member of the guard or face your death."


	15. Chapter 14

**Dun, Dun, Dun!! Haha, don't worry folks, the story is not over! No where near actaully! Enjoy and review! I see all those story alerts but no comments! Its not so hard to type a couple words... pouty face, please? **

**Mmk, I am done. Enjoy!**

My head was spinning as I took this all in. No, I couldn't... There had to be another way out... I just had to think...

I looked over to Edward for some comfort but his head hung limp, his body crestfallen. My decision was going to affect him as much as it would me. He would follow me in whatever path I took.

I had promised him forever, just like it was etched into the golden band glinting on his finger. I fingered the beautiful piece of diamond work adorning my left hand. I wanted eternity with him, no matter what.

I looked up into Aro's waiting face and quietly began, "I will--" However I was cut off by the sudden booming sound of someone banging on the wooden door. I looked over as the door was suddenly shattered into a million splinters.

I was stunned beyond belief at the multitude of figures that came walking through the entryway. I saw Emmett's burly figure accompanied by Rosalie's gorgeous frame. Next were Alice and Jasper, each with a grim expression on their faces. And finally came Carlisle and Esme, Carlise with a furious expression on his normally calm face, Esme looking beyond worry.

I had thought that was the end of the added company but I was wrong. More vampires walked in, ones that I did not recognize. I panicked, thinking that they were more members of the Volturi that I was unaware of. But then I saw their eyes. They were deep topaz yellow. They were all beautiful females with the exception of one tall dark haired male. They came to stand behind the Cullens. I realized that this must be Tanya's clan that lived in Denali.

For a moment, the two sides of the room glared at each other, with Edward and I still held captive in the middle. Carlisle was the first one to speak, a angry edge to his beautiful voice, "Aro, I ask that you order the release of my son and daughter. There is no reason for them to be held against their wills."

"Well this _is _quite another surprise. Is there no end to what this day will bring?" Aro said with a calm laugh. He waved his hand and the pressure around my arm was released. I was in such shock that I simply let my body go limp, falling towards the floor. I did not hit the stone however. Edward was suddenly there, clutching me to his chest. He stood up, cradling me in his arms, and walked over to where our family stood.

"Now, I would like to know why you were about to force two members of my family into your service Aro. I had believed that we were friends," Carlisle said through gritted teeth. I had never seen him look so menacing before.

Aro kept his easy tone, although I could sense a more serious edge to it building, "Surely you can see what Bella is Carlisle. Her power is so great that she is a danger to herself and everyone around her! I had thought that through discipline and training with the Volturi guard, it could be contained. If she denied, I saw her as a threat to our private existence, and thus the law would claim her."

"The law only claims those who have _already_ been guilty of exposing our way of life publicly! Not those who it _might_ happen to! How dare you! You just wanted her power for yourself. With the tricks of your little puppets here, you thought to make her just another slave to your bidding!" Carlisle shouted.

The surrounding Volturi tensed and looked as if they were about to spring. But no order came for the attack. "And you plan to fight us for her, as I can see from your numbers. I doubt you could win however. The guard is trained to maximize their abilities," Aro stated.

_Bella, get really angry or emotional or something! Anything to activate your defense. We need to call their bluff. I know that Aro is lying. He clearly sees that he is outnumbered but he is trying to scare us into backing off_ Carlisle's voice echoed through my head.

The first thing that came to mind was the sight of Edward cringing against the stone, being tortured under Jane's laughing gaze. My fists curled into tights balls and I fought the dry tears trying to burst out. My angel was in such intense pain, I had to stop it, I had to!

It was then that I heard the sharp intakes of breath from around the room. I did not dare open my eyes, afraid that I would lose control of one of the multiple powers I most likely now possessed.

I concentrated on that horrible image of Edward as Carlisle spoke, "As you can see, the playing field is now evened. All of us have our powers stripped of us and Bella is controlling her own to keep everyone's in check. Now do you intend to try to stop us or allow us to leave peacefully?"

"Well it pains me to see us at such odds my old friend. If you wish to be the one responsible for the havoc she will inevitably wreak, then I suppose I have no choice. Just know that when the time comes and she loses control, we will not hesitate to bring her down and those who aid her," Aro stated with a hint of a threat in his voice.

"And if you ever try to force that decision on her again, we will not hesitate to act as well," Carlisle countered, his voice now composed.

"Just a few more minutes Bella. We will be out of here very soon. Just a few more minutes," my angel whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and stared into his own concerned ones. He smiled a bit at me, but I still could not get the image out of my head. He hugged me to his chest and I just lay there, concentrating on his scent. He did not hum to me however, and I realized that I still had to keep my defense up. I allowed my eyes to close and saw the sight of him cringing against the stones once again.

"Well I suppose that this is goodbye again Carlisle. I had hoped that we would see each other again in more pleasant circumstances. Until the next time then I suppose," Aro spoke. I heard no one respond but I felt myself being carried out of the doorway.

I felt the sun beating on my skin as we stepped outside into the open air. I panicked and my eyes fluttered open. We were completely alone in the square as we stepped out of the building. Edward quickly moved into the shadows and carried me through the deserted streets, always keeping out of the sun's path.

He hummed my lullaby as we walked and I breathed in his scent, allowing it to overcome my senses. I looked into his worried gaze as he walked, and smiled up a little at him. He seemed to relax slightly at my reassuring smile and hugged me close to him.

"I had almost thought that I was going to lose you love. Seeing you hit by Alec like that, it was so painful. But we are alive, and we are free. For once, I am glad that Alice did not listen to me. And I am surprised that Tanya's family actually came. I thought that they held some animosity towards us after the Laurent incident. Oh well, it doesn't really matter right now. What matters is you," he stated and bent down to press his lips against mine.

I felt all the memories of the past hour or so wash away as I was lost in the kiss. I wrapped my arms around Edward's next and pulled him tightly against me, relishing in the kiss.

After a few moments, Edward pulled his head back and smiled his crooked smile at me. "About time the voices in my head come back," he laughed. "It was strange for it to be so quiet my mind for such a long period of time." He stopped and I realized that we were back at the Ferrari. I looked around searching for the rest of the Cullens but they were no where to be seen.

"It's alright love, they are just getting the cars they, erm, borrowed from earlier. We will meet up with them once we get away from Volterra. Wouldn't want the Volturi changing their minds while we were still in the city," he said with an air of laughter to him. Still holding me in his arms, he opened the passenger door and set me down lightly on the seat. He closed the door lightly and came over to sit in the driver's side seat.

Next thing I knew, we were racing down the hillside away from Volterra. I saw the black blur of another car leaving the city, accompanied by three more cars winding down the hillside. From the looks of the cars, they were all very expensive and very fast.

"Leave it to Alice to steal the most expensive car she could find," Edward chuckled. "She is definitely not getting that one from me!"

I looked over at him with a curious expression and asked, "And what did Alice steal this time?"

He just laughed and said, "A Mercedes. The SLR McLaren actually. Its only like the sixth most expensive car in the world or something." He just chuckled to himself some more and sped down the winding road. He reached over and threaded the fingers of his right hand through mine. I squeezed his hand and laid my head back against the headrest.

One more nightmare down. What was the universe going to throw at us next?

**Ah that is the real question now isn't it Bella? Guess you have to wait till the upcoming chapters to find out! Bwahaha...**


	16. Chapter 15

**Its time to reintroduce my least favorite character. Sigh, but the story would just not be complete without Jacob, as much as I hate to admit it. Please review and enjoy!**

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_**The wolf formerly known as Jacob Black**_

My feet flew beneath me as I sprinted through the darkness. I had that stench clear in my nostrils and I was going to catch it if it was the last thing I did. I could hear the panting of my breath but I was not fatigued. I had simply been running for many hours now, trying to overtake that filthy leech.

I had first caught the scent of the disgusting bloodsucker somewhere in northern washington. That place held some importance to me but I could not remember what. I had felt the slightest tugging on my conscience but I did not know what had been happening. I faintly remembered being with other wolves at some point, but the faces were unclear and the memories faded.

The only things that I remembered were that my first name was Jacob and that I had left some other life behind. I could only remember the past month or so of my existence. I was a huge wolf running through the woods, feeding on game and running wherever my heart took me.

However, when the scent had cut across my path, something awoke inside of me. One word came to mind. _Vampire_. Not thinking I had spun around and run at full speed following the scent northward. I knew that I had to kill the creature. Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to rip the bloodsucker limb from limb.

I pushed my legs even faster and the scent grew stronger as I continually lessened the gap. I felt as if I was heading south now and I realized that the leech was backtracking. No matter, I would catch him soon enough.

As I ran, I saw a metal fence up ahead with jagged wire sticking out of it. I had vaulted a similar fence in the early stages of the chase. I jumped the barrier easily, not comprehending in my mind that I had crossed back into the United States from Canada.

The surrounding forest became more humid, the air more damp. I felt oddly at ease in this surrounding. As I followed the scent, I began to feel the slight tugging on my mind again. It was as if some other voice was trying to break through. I pushed the thoughts away and focused on the vampire. He had to be close.

The tugging grew stronger as I followed the scent southwestward. The environment was more familiar as I ran. Why was this place so well-known to me?

_Jacob_ some voice cut through my head with crystal clearness. I looked around frantically for the origins of the sound but I did not break my stride. It was probably the vampire trying to play mind games with me.

Soon however more voices began to ring through my head, calling my name and welcoming me back. Back where though?

That first voice cut through my head again, quieting all the others with an authoritative tone. _Jacob, is that really you? I recognize your presence but you seem different somehow? What is wrong? _the man's voice asked.

_Who are you and why are you in my head?!_ I cried out in my thoughts. _This must be the stupid bloodsucker playing tricks on me..._ I thought to myself. But then I heard outcries of surprise in my head. All the voices wanted to know who the bloodsucker was and where was he headed.

_Jacob, you must listen to me. I don't know what has happened to you, but I am your friend Sam. If you are chasing a vampire, there is a good chance that we can cut him off. Please open your mind so that we can find you _the original voice said with some urgency.

Sam. That name was like a catalyst for a rush of memories. I suddenly remembered a different form, a human form. And I remembered my father Billy Black. That was my last name. Black. I remembered the garage with the rebuilt Rabbit and the black motorcycle. I remembered riding along a dirt road with a beautiful brunette girl following me on a red bike. I remembered the pack and Sam and my best friends, Quil and Embry. I could see the vision of myself bursting into a wolf in front of that same brunette and chasing down another wolf named Paul. That girl... Her name was Bella.

Bella... My first love and probably the only girl I could ever care for with such intensity. The mess that she had been and the way that I had helped her become a person again. And how that filthy bloodsucker had taken her away from me. Edward. I would never forgive him even though at the moment I did not know why.

I felt the pack's presence even more strongly and I opened my minds to them. I became one with their thoughts and emotions and we lined up in perfect synchronization. I felt the every movement of the pack, coming to meet me, to cut off the leech, to destroy our enemy. We were surrounding the vampire from every side, there would be no way that they could escape.

I burst into a great clearing and saw the flutter of a black cloak in the distance. I felt two more presences coming from behind and looked to see two giant wolfs coming to flank me from both sides.

_Hey Bro_ Quil's voice echoed. Embry's voice vocalized a greeting in my head as well. We charged forward, quickly gaining on the bloodsucker. We saw the figure abruptly change directions ahead of us as a huge black wolf emerged from the trees directly in front of the leech. More wolves burst from either side and closed in on the vampire.

The pale figure turned around looking for a gap but there was no escape. The blood red of the vampire's irises shone with determination, and he lowered into a crouch, preparing to fight.

I was the first one to reach the bloodsucker and I felt no hesitation as I leapt at the figure. I aimed my jaws for the throat and hungered for the kill. I let my instincts take over as I fought the vampire, snapping at limbs and tearing bits off. The leech screamed with fury but continued to thrash at me. I felt long cuts down my shoulder blade but I paid no attention to the wounds.

I had the upper hand and more white limbs were ripped from the form. In a moment of weakness, the vampire exposed his throat and I took advantage of the lapse. I sand my teeth into the rock hard flesh of the throat and ripped the head off with one great tug. The body went limp and the fighting fire in the ruby eyes dimmed.

I jumped back, panting with the victory. I saw all of the wolves surrounding me utterly silent and still. My wounds no longer hurt and I glanced at my shoulder but all that remained as evidence of the injuries was some dried blood and some bright pink scars that were quickly fading.

_Gather all the pieces into a pile. Don't let any escape notice, we must burn them all _Sam's thoughts echoed through the minds of the pack. All of the wolves moved and began scooping up the white pieces of rock in their mouths and assembling them in a pile around the black cloaked body.

I watched in awe as all the parts were piled up. Suddenly I felt Sam's presence disappear and I looked around in confusion. Standing where Sam had previously been sitting on his haunches, stood a lean muscular Indian man adorned in a simple pair of sweat pants. I jumped up and growled at the being, having only been at most within a mile of any humans in my last month of existence.

"Jacob, relax, it is just me," Sam's true voice reached my ears. He approached me very slowly not making any sudden movements. "Jacob, you have probably been a wolf for the past month or so and I can see that it has messed with your memories. However, you are human. You are a human who can transform into the body of a werewolf whenever you so choose. It may seem difficult to comprehend right now, but I am telling you the truth."

I did not know what to make of what he had just told me. I knew that I had memories of a human form and bursting into the shape that I now possessed. I closed my eyes and focused on those thoughts. I felt my body shrinking and my bones narrowing. The conversion was not painful and I opened my eyes to look at my tanned skin.

I heard snickers coming from the surrounding wolves and looked up. I could sense that Quil and Embry were laughing at me and I saw other wolves averting their gazes. Sam came over and held out a piece of black cloth to me. Oh, I was naked! I grabbed the black sweat pants and quickly put them on.

"You can thank Quil for letting you 'borrow' his pants. Let's see how he likes having to walk naked into his house," Sam said with a laugh. He then acquired a more serious look on his face as he pulled out a silver lighter. He flicked the fire to life and walked over the the remains of the vampire.

I watched as he lowered the lighter to the remains, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The flames came to life upon contact with the stones and purple smoke began to rise into the air.

Sam backed away from the flames and approached me once more. "It's nice to have you back Jacob. We have missed you," he said.

My voice cracked slightly as I responded, having not used it in over a month. "I am still slightly confused and memories are still coming to me. I remember the pack and a girl named Bella and about some other vampires, one named Edward I think," I told him.

I saw his body tense and he looked extremely uncomfortable. I heard low growls coming from various members of the pack. "Jake, I'm not sure how to say this but Bella and the Cullens disappeared four days ago. We think that they have broken the treaty," Sam stated with a strained voice.

And then it all hit me. The treaty, the wedding, the invitation, the note, the ramifications of a disappearance of such length. She couldn't have been turned into a filthy bloodsucker, she couldn't...

I felt my body burst into my wolf form once more as shredded black cloth flew in every direction. Suddenly my legs were pumping against the ground and I was flying in the direction of that white house. The house of the filthy bloodsucking Cullens.


	17. Chapter 16

**I am soooo sorry that took so long! Usually I update once a day but life has been extremely busy the past week. Hopefully all the craziness is gone though and I shall update more frequently. (Hopefully being the key word here.) Anyways, enjoy and review!!**

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**Bella Swan Cullen**

The returning flight was uneventful. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett occupied the passenger cabin of the jet while I sat in the co-pilot chair next to Edward. Esme, Carlisle and Tanya's family had bought tickets in Rome and flown from there on a commercial plane. I kept my eyes on Edward's beautiful features and he was constantly looking over at me with a loving gaze.

As we crossed the great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, I let my mind wander. I was thirsty and I knew that we would have to hunt again when we reached Forks. I also knew that Edward and I would have to leave very soon. The werewolves had probably caught onto the fact that the treaty was broken by now. The other Cullens would most likely have to relocate as well. I felt horrible about putting them in such a predicament now that I thought about the consequences of my decisions. They had not breathed a word of it however and I took slight relief in that fact.

My biggest concern right now was Jacob. I had not seen him since that fateful day. The day where I'd told him that I loved him but I loved Edward more. The hurt look on his face would haunt me for the rest of my days. I didn't know if he would want to rip me to shreds when we came face to face, but I had to try. I just had to. He had been my best friend. It couldn't just all end like this.

I felt a slight squeeze of my hand and I looked over into Edward's concerned eyes. _Are you alright love? You seem to be worked up over something. Especially since I can't hear anyone's thoughts right now_ his voice echoed through my head as a slight smile worked its way onto his face.

I ground my teeth together in slight frustration. I didn't want to worry Edward with my inner struggle, especially because that inner struggle involved Jacob. I met his piercing topaz eyes and relented. I heaved out a sigh and explained, "I am worried about who is going to be waiting for us when we return."

His face hardened slightly after my explanation and his eyes seemed distant. _If that dog is there, I __**will**__ break his jaw this time. I don't care what Bella says. _I looked over at Edward with a shocked expression. He met my gaze with confusion and then understanding.

"I am so sorry Bella. I am not used to being on the receiving end of my ability. The thing is, I sent an invitation to Jacob for our wedding." My jaw dropped at this statement but he continued with a serious tone, "He apparently denied the invitation and I am sure that he still holds some ill thoughts towards me. I was hoping that he could get past his prejudices but apparently not. And I am not sure if he will be able to contain himself and his self-control when he sees you."

I inhaled sharply. Surely Jacob wouldn't attack us! He knew my choice and he knew what was going to happen eventually. Maybe he wouldn't even be there and we could all leave with no one the wiser. I could only hope for that. I didn't want to see Jacob's reaction. It could turn very bad if the wrong words were exchanged.

I closed my eyes and laid my head against the back of the seat. I felt Edward squeeze my hand again as he brought my fingers up to his face and lightly kissed my hand. He began to hum my lullaby and I set my mind at ease. I allowed my tense muscles to relax and I lost myself in the sound of my song.

Far too soon though, I felt the plane begin to descend. I opened my eyes as the buildings of Seattle came into view. I took a long look at the city laid out before me. It would be a long time before I saw this place again most likely.

The plane dipped lower and I saw that we were headed towards a long expanse of pavement directly ahead. I heard a voice buzz through Edward's headphones that he wore saying, "Cessna Mustang, you are cleared for landing." Edward mumbled some stuff back into the mouthpiece but it was all plane related talk and nothing of consequence.

The plane jolted a bit as the tires hit the runway. Edward put his foot on the break and we quickly decelerated to a slower speed. We approached one of the hangers and Edward brought the jet to a full stop. I heard the hatch open but my love made no effort to move. I saw my other vampire siblings casually walking across the black pavement and disappearing up the stairs that we had descended only a day or so ago.

I looked at Edward but before I could formulate my question, he answered the unspoken inquiry. "I am having Alice pull up my car. It has been a couple days since you hunted and I still do not want to take any chances with the close proximity of so many humans," he explained. Ever the considerate gentleman I thought.

I saw a flash of silver and Edward's Vanquish appeared next to the jet. I then felt myself being scooped into my loves arms and held tightly against his chest. I cut off the flow of air to my lungs and he carried me quickly out of the cabin and placed me in the passenger seat of the car as Alice stepped out of the driver's side. Edward quickly took her place and revved the engine, speeding off the tarmac at ridiculous speeds.

I allowed my breathing to resume and smiled at my true love. He gave me his crooked grin and my dormant heart seemed to melt. He would never cease to dazzle me, as oblivious as he was to his ability to do so to anyone he looked at.

The drive back to Forks was peaceful and passed by quickly. I glimpsed the yellow of Alice's Porsche in the rearview mirror once in a while, but Edward always accelerated, driving out of view of his sister. They continued this game of cat and mouse all the way through the humid Washington scenery.

Eventually we came to the Cullen driveway. Edward turned and began the winding drive up to the house. We were almost there when an awful smell assaulted my senses. I wrinkled my nose up in disgust as Edward cussed under his breath. It smelled so foul, so disgusting, like a horribly wet and dirty dog.

My eyes widened in horror as the word crossed through my mind. Oh no! I was unable to register any other thoughts in my head as we drove into the clearing in front of the house.

Sitting on the front porch of the Cullen house was a giant russet colored wolf. The beast's eyes narrowed as the car slowed to a stop. I went to open the door and Edward made no movement to stop me. He was however waiting for me when I stepped out of the car. He wrapped a protective arm around my waist and allowed me to lead the way towards the front of the house.

I sensed more eyes watching from the shadows of the trees and I knew that more werewolves were waiting for the chance to attack. I tried to ignore the added presence as I approached the wolf I used to have called my best friend.

Jacob simply glared at the two of us as we stopped about ten feet away from where he sat. I heard more cars skidding to a stop behind us and I knew that the rest of the Cullens had also arrived.

I wanted to run and throw my arms around Jake but I knew that would be a very bad idea. I just stood there with a pleading look in my eyes but Jake's eyes did not soften. He sat there with a hard edge to his posture, tense, waiting to spring.

"Jake,_please _change and talk to me. I am your friend! It is killing me to just see you sitting there," I begged him. He just continued to glare at me.

Then his voice rang through my head. _Tell her that my friend is dead and it is all thanks to you, you bloodsucking filthy leech. _ The thoughts were directed at Edward but he looked as if he had not heard them.

I staggered back and hugged my arms to my chest, yelling at Jacob, "No, I am right here Jake! I am not dead!" Edward kept a protective arm around me and a low growl issued from his throat.

Jacob's head snapped around to stare directly into my eyes. _How? I was talking to your bloodsucker of a boyfriend when I said those things. How can you hear me? _he questioned.

"First of all, Edward is now my husband Jake." A deep growl rumbled through Jacob's entire body. I continued quickly, "And as you can see, I am no longer human. There is no hiding that fact. With my transformation, I acquired a certain skill. I am able to take the abilities of those around me and use them for myself. Like right now, I have taken Edward's mind reading capability and I can hear the thoughts of those around me."

I stopped then, waiting for some sort of reaction. There were a multitude of thoughts racing through Jacob's head, each flying by too quickly to catch what they were. He seemed to be having an internal struggle, fighting with himself whether to rip me apart or talk to me like a civilized being. I saw his body shaking and I couldn't tell what he was going to do.

_Jake get out of here before you lose control. She won't fight you and I don't think you could live with yourself if you ripped her head off _ Sam's voice echoed through my head. I was shocked. Of all people, I was sure Sam would be the least compassionate and understanding.

I looked over and caught a glimpse of Jacob's surprised expression before the russet wolf bounded into the woods and I felt the presence of the other werewolves disappear as well.

I sagged against Edward's chest and stared blankly at the ground. Edward's voice reached my ears but my hearing did not comprehend the words he was speaking. I allowed myself to be scooped into his arms as he carried me into the house and up the stairs to his room.

Edward placed me on the bed and laid down next to me, gently stroking my hair. _Bella, please snap out of it love. I'm here for you_ his voice sounded in my thoughts. I allowed my mind to focus and my eyes fully met his. I saw that he was extremely worried and I tried to smile, to reassure him. My mouth would not cooperate however and I began to sob tearlessly.

Edward pulled me into his embrace and clutched my tightly to his chest, humming to me. The sobs soon quieted and I focused on my breathing and the scent of his skin. He stroked my hair and I molded against his body.

I knew that was the last time that I would see Jacob Black. I pulled my head away from Edward's embrace and looked up into his eyes. "I think we need to leave. As soon as possible. I don't think that I can take another encounter like that. Who knows what Jacob will decide to do, and I don't want to risk putting any of us in danger," I said quietly.

Edward nodded with understanding and simply said, "Whatever you need love, I will do. Let's get some things together and I will go tell Carlisle and Esme. We will leave as soon as you are ready to go."

I nodded and stood up to go gather a few articles of clothing that Alice had bought me that were stashed in Edward's closet. I felt Edward leave the room for a moment, only to return very quickly. I had already thrown a couple outfits in a bag and was standing up as he entered the room. "Alright, I've told the family. They are going to pack up and follow us as quickly as possible," he explained.

We walked quickly down the stairs and out to the garage. I looked with longing at my red roadster, but I did not want to take a separate car from Edward. To my surprise, he led me over to my crimson prize and opened the passenger side door for me. I looked at him with a questionable look.

He chuckled softly and just said, "I know you have grown to appreciate your car in the short time that you have owned it, so I would not want to deprive you of it. I am going to let Jasper drive my Vanquish. Plus, your car is slightly faster than mine, though I hate to admit it." I laughed softly and he smiled at me. I knew that he was trying to distract me but I was glad for the change in topic.

He closed the door softly once I was seated and came over to sit in the driver's seat. He started the engine and then we were speeding down the driveway and onto the highway, away from my former life, away from my memories, away from Jacob Black.


	18. Chapter 17

**First of all I want to say sorry for taking so long to update! I have not been living at home for the past week and thus have been without internet. :( **

**Thank you for all the reviews! I never imagined that I would make it up to a hundred plus reviews and a little over 10,000 hits! I love each and every one of my reviewers and fans!**

**On a side note, for those of you who are Jacob fans, don't worry. He will be showing up again in either next chapter or the one after that.**

**Enjoy and Review!!**

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We sped down the highway, Edward never letting up on the speed until we had crossed into Idaho. My mind constantly wandered to Jacob, wondering what he was doing and where he was. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky and the scenery was beginning to darken.

We had said little during the ride, myself lost in thought over my former best friend and Edward thinking about who knows what. After a while, the silence began to eat at my nerves and I decided to ask Edward some things that had been nagging on my conscience for the past few days, to get my mind off the present situation.

"What are you going to miss most about me being human?" I questioned.

He looked over at me with a contemplative look in his eyes. "Well, there were many good aspects to you being human. For one, I could hear your heartbeat from miles away. It was the strongest sound in the world to me. The other would probably be your blush. It was so adorable and beautiful to see the blood pooling to the surface of your skin," he told me.

I sighed to myself. Now I all those things were gone for him. Was I worth it now?

He continued after a moment. "However, there are so many more wonderful things about you now that I could never even dream of. You are much less breakable, for which I am glad. Now I won't have to worry about crushing some part of you whenever I touch you. Also, you are more coordinated now." I shot him an incredulous look. He continued quickly, "I loved your clumsiness Bella, but the way you move now, it is absolutely mesmerizing. You are the most stunning and beautiful creature that I have ever met, and I cannot peel my eyes from you whenever you walk."

The car began to slow and I was slightly confused. We had over half a tank of gas. Edward began to speak once more though, "And one of the best parts is that I can kiss you now the way I have wanted to kiss you for a long time." The car stopped and Edward pulled to the side of the road. He cut the engine and turned off the headlights.

I looked over to ask him why he had stopped but his mouth was on mine before I could form a single word. It was absolutely breathtaking, the way he kissed me. I lost all recollection of the events that had just occurred as I was swept into the passion of the moment. It was even better than when he had kissed me in the woods during my first hunt.

There were no longer any boundaries and no hesitations. There was a forceful edge to Edward's kiss, but one of pure love, not of malice. I could not get enough of him and the feeling was mutual it seemed. We stayed kissing for many moments, drinking in one another's glory. However the moment was ruined, like always, with an interruption.

Edward's phone began to buzz and undoubtedly Alice was the caller. I could hear her voice through the receiver lecturing Edward. "Sheesh, you two really do need to get a room when you get to New York. Do you think you can focus enough of your energies just for a few hours to get far enough away from Forks? I can see both of your futures for now which is a good thing, but I still have no idea where the wolves are. We will all be on the road in less than 10 minutes." Without even waiting for a reason, the line went dead and Edward just sighed at the phone. Oh Alice, having to ruin our fun.

Edward looked over at me with an apologetic look mixed with a smile. "Leave it to Alice to see everything that we do," he chuckled. He then turned the key in the ignition and began speeding down the road once again.

"So we are going to New York?" I questioned.

"Yea, we own a house in Binghamton New York. We haven't stayed there in a long time and it really is a wonderful place to live, despite the overabundance of clouds. I don't find it nearly as rainy as Forks though which you should find as a welcome change," Edward responded with a grin. He was right of course. I had loved the people in Forks but the climate was not one to my liking. Clouds would be good because we could go out in the day without worrying about the sparkling skin aspect.

"Also, I think you should hunt love," Edward continued. "We wouldn't want to run across any humans unaware in our journey." I realized that we were in a very dense forest and that there had been no signs of human activity for quite a while. Edward pulled the car over once again, and we stepped out.

There was a slight rain coming down and it smelled wonderful. The scent of the lush wet greenery was very appealing. Overpowering that smell however, was the call of an animal's blood. My instincts threatened to take over, but I held back. I needed to learn self-control.

I stood there fighting my internal battle, my body rigid as a board. I felt a cool hand on my shoulder and gazed up into Edward's eyes. "I am proud of you for trying to exercise such self-control love, but you really must hunt. Let the instincts take over. There are no humans for a very long time," he said. I gave him a slight nod before I took off running.

I was upon the deer within seconds, sinking my teeth into the soft flesh and snapping the neck in almost the same instant. The warm liquid hit my throat and I began to once again drink in all the glory. I drained the beast of all its fluid and raised my head from the flesh.

I looked over to see Edward staring at me with hesitance. I let my instincts subside and I gracefully walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck. He nuzzled his face into my neck and threaded his arms around my waist. "You are simply stunning Bella," he mused into my neck. I smiled into his shoulder and we stayed locked in our embrace for a few moments.

All too soon I heard the blaring of a car horn a couple miles away. Edward chuckled and stated, "I can only assume that Alice has caught up with us. We should get going love."

We quickly ran back to the car and sure enough Alice was waiting in her bright yellow Porsche parked behind my roadster. I saw the Vanquish with Jasper behind the wheel behind her, along with Rosalie in her BMW, Emmett in his Jeep, Esme in the Volvo, and Carlisle in the Mercedes bringing up the rear. Quite a parade of expensive cars we had going.

Edward shot a glare at Alice but she simply smiled back at him. I heard him grumbling under his breath as we slipped back into the seats of the Lexus. The engine purred to life and we were soon speeding down the road again.

We sped across the country, driving through the night and into the morning. We drove the whole next day as well, stopping a couple times to refill the gas tanks.

Around dawn of next morning, we passed a sign saying 'Welcome to New York.' We continued for another few hours before passing into the Binghamton city limits. Edward steered the car down what appeared to be a deserted road. After about five miles, he slowed the car to a stop in front of a house even bigger than the one in Forks.

It was a modernized Victorian complete with a turret and everything. It was sided with a light gray vinyl and white trim adorned the entire house. It was absolutely breathtaking.

I heard all the other cars pull to a stop around us in the huge driveway. I stepped out of the car and realized the lack of a moving truck. Where was all the furniture?

My question was soon answered as Edward steered me to the door and led me across the threshold. The entire house was already furnished with pieces that were extremely similar to the ones that had been in the house in Forks. I even saw an identical piano occupying a majority of the space in the sitting room. I walked over to it and ran my fingers lightly over the ivory keys.

Edward came over to sit on the bench, pulling me down next to him. His fingers began to dance over the keys with the melody of my lullaby filling the room. Hearing it played on the piano in person was such a moving experience. If I could still cry, my eyes would be brimming with tears.

Edward finished with the last note and I threw my arms around him burying my head in his shirt. He laughed softly and wrapped his arms around me. I breathed in his ever intoxicating scent and slowly stood up.

He gave me my favorite crooked smile and pulled me to my feet. "Time for the grand tour," he said. (**A/N: I am not going to get into the full layout of the house. Basically it is just a New England style rendition of the house in Forks.)**

After touring the downstairs of the house, Edward pulled me up two flights of stairs to his room. I walked in the door and was thrilled to see that his room was located in the upper floor of the turret. It was a rounded room with a black leather sofa and a complex looking sound system. The racks for the CDs were bare but I assumed that Alice had packed those up back in Forks.

As I twirled around, my eyes came to rest on my true love. He was standing there watching me with a smile creeping onto his face. I stopped and glared at him. "Why are you just staring at me?" I demanded.

"No reason really," he said with a smile on his lips. "I just realized that we are going to need to buy a bed for this room now."

I gawked at him. "And why are we going to need a bed now that I don't sleep?" I questioned teasingly.

"Oh I can think of a few reasons," he murmured. The next second I was flying through the air as Edward pounced on me. He locked me against his chest with his strong arms as we collided with the sofa. I was momentarily stunned. I would never have guessed him to use that move again!

He showered kisses across my body as I stayed locked in his grasp. I did not struggle though for I was perfectly comfortable pressed against his cool body. We stayed engulfed in the affection between our two bodies, absorbing one another's forms.

I heard a pounding on the door and Jasper's voice rang through the wood, "Would you two calm down please? Your raging feelings are making me feel slightly nauseous." I heard a slight groan from the other side of the door.

I laughed and wiggled out of Edward's grasp. He gave me a pouty look but I just lightly kissed his lips. "We will find somewhere a bit more private later love. I promise," I said to him and winked. His sulky look quickly turned into one of contentment and he stood up to join me.

We walked over to the door and opened it to find a sick looking Jasper. I laughed at him and he glared at me. I was suddenly over come with emotion of passion and intimacy. It was indeed slightly sickening when not in the heat of the moment. "Now imagine that time about a hundred and you get what I am feeling," he commented.

I giggled and mouthed a quick apology to him before allowing myself to be led downstairs to talk with the rest of the family.

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**Ok, question time. I really want to make it more romantic between Edward and Bella and I wanted your opinions. Should I change the rating to M and make things more steamy? Or leave it the way it is? I am leaning towards changing the rating but I would love the input of my fans.**

**Please review!! Please! (gives you all puppy dog eyes) **


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